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THE 


VERY  SINGULAR  LIFE 


OF 


JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQUIRE, 

OF 


mj]M  STAPLEFORD,  CHESHIRE: 


EXHIBITING    A    VARIETY    OF   MEMORABLE  AND   EXEMPLARY  CIRCUMSTANCES, 
WHICH   MAY   BE   OF   GREAT  UTILITY   TO  ALL  PERSONS  ;   BUT  PRINCI- 
PALLY   INTENDED    AS  A  PRECEDENT  OF  PIETY  AND  CHARITY 
FOB  THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  COUNTY  OF  CHESTER. 


BY  THE  EEY.  WILLIAM  HINDE, 

Fellow  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  and  Preacher  of  God's  "Word  at  Bunbury 
in  the  aforesaid  County.  Originally  published  in  1641,  by  the  Author's 
Son,  Samuel  Hinde  ;  revised,  corrected,  and  republished.  By  William 

CODDINGTON,  of  CHESTER,  1799. 


NEW  YORK : 

PKINTED  BY  EDWAED  O.  JENKINS, 
No.  26  Frankfort  Street, 

1  8  5  7. 


J«W2L 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


Though  so  many  years  have  passed  away  since 
the  subject  of  this  memoir  went  to  his  reward,  yet 
the  Editor  found,  on  a  late  visit  to  Bruen  Stapleford, 
and  the  Old  Church  at  Tarvin,  the  Scripture  veri- 
fied, "that  the  righteous  shall  be  had  in  remem- 
brance." 

Still  the  Bruen  chancel,  where  he  gathered  his 
company  around  him,  to  sing  the  praises  of  God, 
and  where  he  was  buried,  is  pointed  out ;  and  the 
parish  clerk  utters  his  praises,  imitating  his  ancient 
predecessor,  who  has  left  in  Tarvin  Church  record 
the  folio wiDg  quaint  memorial : 

"  Burials  25  Jany  1625 
John  Bruen  of  Stapleford  Esquire 
NuUi  pietate  secundus 
An  Israelite  in  whom  no  guyle 
Or  fraud  was  ever  found 
A  Phoenix  rare 
Whose  virtues  fair 
Through  all  our  coasts  do  sound." 


iv         PKEFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION. 

Webb,  ill  "  King's  Vale  Eojal,"  1625,  says,"  This 
river  now  leads  us  by  a  fair  and  fruitful  demesne, 
in  the  midst  of  a  fine  Lordship,  taking  name  from 
a  passage  over  the  same  water  called  Stapleford, 
having  been  for  an  ancient  continuance  the  seat  of 
gentlemen  of  great  esteem  in  one  well  known  name 
of  the  Bruines.  The  owner  now,  and  long  hath 
been,  and  long  I  would  he  might  be  John  Bruine 
Esqre.,  who  might,  if  he  affected  praise,  receive  from 
me  some  little  remembrance." 

Clarke,  in  his  "  Marrow  of  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory," 1650,  says  of  him,  "lie  was  one  of  the  few 
individuals  whose  private  virtues  alone,  in  the  rank 
of  a  country  gentleman,  have  obtained  a  place  in 
the  annals  of  biography.  His  teiiets  were  those  of 
the  Calvinistic  Puritans,  but  his  goodness  of  heart 
would  have  reflected  honor  on  any  rank  and  any  re- 
ligion." 

We  find  also  mention  made  of  him  in  "  Christo- 
pher ^forton's  Monument  of  the  Fathers  and  Ee- 
formers." 

Ormerod,  in  his  "  History  of  Cheshire,"  says  that 
Tarvin  was  for  a  long  time  after  John  Bruen's  death, 
the  seat  of  Puritanism,  and  that  his  son,  Calvin 
Bruen,  was  brought  into  trouble  on  account  of  his 
attention  to  the  famous  Mr.  Prynne,  when  conveyed 
throuDjh  Chester  to  the  castle  of  Caernarvon. 

To  the  Puritan  party  several  of  John  Bruen's 
children  adhered. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAN  EDITION.  V 


His  son  Obacliah  and  daughter  Mary  appear 
among  the  New  England  pilgrims. 

The  former  was  entered  a  freeman  of  Plymouth 
Colony  in  1640.  Afterwards  he  went  to  Gloucester, 
the  records  of  which  place  are  for  a  time  in  his 
handwriting.  There  he  records  the  birth  of  two  of 
his  children,  Hannah  and  John,  his  only  son.  Before 
1650,  he  was  chosen  seven  times  deputy  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court. 

From  Gloucester  he  removed  to  Pequot  Harbor, 
(New  London.) 

"  During  the  sixteen  years  in  which  he  dwelt  in 
this  young  plantation,"  says  the  author  of  Hist. 
New  London,  "he  was  perhaps  more  intimately 
identified  with  its  public  concerns  than  any  other 
man.  He  was  chosen  a  townsman  for  fifteen  years 
in  succession,  and,  except  the  first  year,  uniformly 
first  townsman  and  moderator.  He  was  usually  on 
all  committees  for  granting  lands,  building  meeting- 
houses, and  accommodating  differences.  He  was 
Clerk  or  Kecorder  of  the  town  all  the  time  he  was 
an  inhabitant;  and,  in  1661,  on  the  organization  of 
the  County  Court,  he  was  chosen  Clerk  of  that 
body. 

"In  the  charter  of  Connecticut  granted  by  Charles 
II.,  his  name  appears  as  one  of  the  patentees  of  the 
colony,  and  the  only  one  from  the  town,  which 
is  proof  that  he  was  then  considered  its  most  promi- 
nent inhabitant.    He  appears  to  have  been  a  perse- 


vi        PREFACE  TO  THE  AMERICAISr  EDITION. 


vering,  plodding,  able  and  discreet  man,  who  ac- 
complislied  a  large  amount  of  business,  was  helpful 
to  every  body,  and  left  everything  which  he  under- 
took the  better  for  his  management."  * 

In  1667,  as  would  appear  by  the  deed  of  pur- 
chase of  the  Indians,  to  which  his  name  with  others 
is  subscribed,  he  removed  with  his  son,  J ohn  Bruen, 
in  company  with  an  association  of  planters,  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  Passaic  Eiver,  where  they  founded 
what  is  now  known  as  the  city  of  Newark,  first 
called  Milford,  after  the  place  from  which  a  portion 
of  the  planters  had  removed. 

The  book  from  which  this  present  volume  is  re- 
printed, has  been  for  many  years  in  the  Editor's 
family,  and  he  has  no  knowledge  of  any  other  copy 
in  this  country. 

To  illustrate  the  character  of  our  Puritan  forefa- 
thers, and  in  the  hope  that  it  may  excite  some  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  this  ancient  father  in 
godliness,"  it  was  thought  well  to  accede  to  the  wish 
of  many,  and  reprint  the  memoir. 

A.  M.  BEUEK 

January,  1857. 

*  History  of  New  London,  by  P.  M.  Caulkins.  See  First  Puritan  Settlers, 
R.  R.  Uinman;  East  Jersey,  W.  A.  Whitehead;  and  History  of  Cheshire, 
Ormerod,  vol.  ii.,  p.  172, 


EDITOK'S  PEEFACE. 


In"  order  to  obviate  any  objections  that  may  be 
started  against  this  edition  of  Mr.  BruevUs  Life^  on 
tbe  score  of  its  not  being  literally  copied  from  tbe 
Original,  the  Editor  informs  bis  readers  that  some 
of  the  Author's  deviations  from  the  course  of  the 
Narrative  are  abridged,  and  others  entirely  omitted ; 
and  this  is  done,  not  with  a  view  of  imposing  upon 
the  public,  by  vending  a  mere  catch-penny,  under  a 
specious  title — ^but  in  order  at  once  to  fornish  them 
with  a  cheap  and  complete  Portraiture  of  the  vener- 
able Mr.  Bruen,  and  to  do  away  the  necessity  of 
sometimes  looking  over  a  page  or  two  of  dry,  un- 
interesting matter,  to  come  at  a  few  lines  which 
treat  upon  facts. 

The  Publisher  feels  confident  that  a  comparison, 
between  this  and  the  original  Work,  is  sufficient  to 
determine  the  public  in  favor  of  the  present  Edition ; 
and  that  it  may  be  made  useful  in  promoting  the 
best  of  causes,  is  the  sincere  wish  of 

The  Public's  humble  servant, 

THE  EDITOE. 

Chester,  1799. 


THE  ORIGINAL  PUBLISHER 


TO 

THE  READER. 

This  book  is  an  orphan,  having  been  long  since 
left  fatherless,  and  kept  under  hatches:  but  now, 
through  His  assistance  in  whom  the  fatherless  find 
mercy,  it  is  brought  to  light.  It  was  a  rule  of 
Pythagoras,  that  his  scholars  be  five  years  in  school 
before  they  were  permitted  to  speak :  but  this  work 
has  lain  above  twice  five,  before  it  could  be  suffered 
to  speak  in  the  language  of  the  press. 

In  order  that  both  the  Author  and  his  subject, 
like  Demetrius'  statues,  may  remain  free  from  the 
soil  of  envy  and  detraction,  I  wish  to  give  thee  sat- 
isfaction concerning  them. 

1.  As  to  the  Subject :  He  was  a  man  so  renowned 
for  piety,  that  the  mouths  of  the  most  religious, 
prudent  and  learned  men,  in  their  times,  have  bless- 
ed him,  and  praised  God  for  him.  The  famous  Mr. 
Perkins,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh  of  him  thus : 
"  His  house  was  none  other  than  the  house  of  God, 
and  for  religion,  he  carried  the  top-sail  of  all  Eng- 
land."   To  this  I  add  the  testimony  of  the  Right 


TO  THE  READER. 


ix 


Rev.  Father  in  God,  the  Lord  Primate  of  all  Ireland, 
a  man  equally  eminent  for  learning  and  piety :  he 
said,  speaking  of  Mr.  Bruen,  In  him  was  the  very 
beauty  of  holiness ;  and  he  was  of  so  amiable  and 
cheerful  a  countenance,  that  when  I  beheld  him,  I 
was  reminded  of  Moses,  whose  very  face  shone,  as 
honoring  some  more  than  ordinary  eminency  of 
grace  in  his  heart." 

2.  As  to  the  Author:  Nearness  of  relationship 
forbids  me  to  say  much  here.  I  shall  leave  his  own 
works  to  publish  his  abilities,  and  among  many 
others  the  following.  However,  I  dare  be  bold  to 
affirm,  it  was  not  ostentation,  or  the  thirst  of  popular 
applause,  which  induced  him  to  enter  upon  this 
undertaking ;  but  a  desire  to  perpetuate  the  memory 
of  a  worthy  gentleman,  of  whom  he  treats  in  such 
a  manner  as  might  make  best  for  thy  example  and 
the  Creator's  glory. 

Then,  laying  aside  all  prejudice,  read  the  follow- 
ing tract ;  peruse  it  thoroughly,  before  thou  censure 
it  partially ;  and  if  any,  beholding  his  deformities 
by  means  of  this  glass^  should  therefore  break  or 
blemish  it,  let  him  knoAv  the  disadvantage  is  his 
own,  not  the  Author's ;  and  for  one  foul  face  he  saw 
before,  he  will  then  discover  twenty. 

If  the  zeal  of  the  Author,  or  his  subject,  outgo 
thy  expectation  or  practice,  blame  them  not ;  since, 
as  there  is  no  pointing  at  any  man's  person,  so  there 
is  no  conniving  at  any  one's  sins. 
1* 


X 


TO  THE  KEADER. 


If,  in  the  discountenancing  and  battering  down  of 
particular  errors,  either  of  judgment  or  practice, 
thou  thinkest  the  narration  mingled  with  too  much 
bitter  hierapicra — ^remember,  sharp  sauces  best  be- 
come the  meat,  and  stimulate  the  appetite. 

But  if  all  this  will  not  do — ^if  Gallio  like,  thou 
carest  for  none  of  these  things — yet  be  persuaded 
to  remember  the  rule  of  our  Saviour,  to  do  to  others 
as  thou  wouldst  they  should  do  to  thee :  deal  not  with 
the  good  names  of  the  Author  and  his  subject  as 
Licurgus  did  with  the  coins  of  his  country,  or  as 
Eehoboam  did  with  his  father's  shields — which  they 
found  of  beaten  gold,  but  left  of  brass.  Eather 
treat  them  as  Augustus  did  the  walls  of  Eome; 
which  he  found  of  brick,  but  left  of  marble.  And 
whatsoever  in  them  is  virtuous,  honest,  just,  lawful, 
laudable,  and  of  good  report,  that  follow ;  and  while 
thy  charity  is  thus  shown  towards  them,  the  bless- 
ing of  God  be  with  thee. 

So  prays  the  Subject's  Kinsman,  the  Author's 
Son,  and  thy  Servant  in  Christ, 

SAMUEL  HINDE. 

Prescott,  May  20,  1641. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


John  Bruen,  of  Braen  Stapleford,  in  the  county 
of  Chester,  Esq.,  was  born  in  the  year  1560,  and  was 
allied  to  many  of  the  most  ancient  and  worshipfal 
families  in  the  country.  His  father,  a  respectable 
gentleman,  was  descended  from  several  worthy  an- 
cestors, the  Lord  having  continued  their  race,  and 
established  that  family,  in  their  own  name,  place, 
house,  and  state,  for  many  generations :  a  blessing, 
I  acknowledge,  of  no  extraordinary  note  —  yet 
rather  remarkable,  because,  even  in  these  parts,  not 
a  few  families,  that  have  flourished  in  great  pomp 
and  pride  for  a  season,  and  have  thought  their 
houses  should  be  continued  for  ever,  and  their 
dwelling-places  to  all  generations,  calling  their  lands 
by  their  names,  have  had  their  hopes  and  their  lives 
cut  off  together,  their  posterity  swept  away  as  dung, 
and  their  names  overwhelmed  with  the  ruins  .of 
their  habitations;  their  root  being  rottenness,  and 
their  blossom  vanishing  into  dust^  as  the  prophet 
speaketh. 

The  elder  Mr.  Bruen  was  first  married  to  a  sister 


12 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


of  Sir  John  Done,  of  the  house  of  Utkinton,  by 
whom  he  had  no  issue.  She  dying,  he  took  to  wife 
the  (laughter  of  Thomas  Holford,  of  Holford,  Esq., 
by  whom  he  had  fourteen  children ;  so  did  the  Lord 
entrust  him  with  a  large  portion  of  his  own  inherit- 
ance. 

Mr.  John  Bruen  was  the  first-born  of  the  male 
children,  and  heir  of  the  family. 

Several  of  his  brethren  and  sisters  were  holy  per- 
sons, but  especially  that  rare  gentlewoman,  Mrs. 
Cath.  Bretterg,*  whose  praise  is  in  print,  and  whose 
fame  has  been  sounded  forth,  and  proclaimed  to  the 
churches  of  Christ,  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  by 
two  silver  trumpetsf  of  the  Gospel.    Of  her  it 

*  This  lady  was  studious  of  the  Scriptures  from  her  child- 
hood. She  married  Mr.  William  Bretterg,  when  she  was  about 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  died  at  the  end  of  two  years,  leaving 
one  child.  When  in  her  last  illness,  she  took  up  the  Bible,  and, 
joyfully  kissing  it,  said,  "  O  Lord,  it  is  good  for  me  to  be 
aflQicted,  that  I  may  learn  thy  statutes :  the  law  of  thy  mouth  is 
better  unto  me  than  gold  and  silver."  The  day  preceding  that 
of  her  death,  she  lay  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  whilst  her 
husband  read  some  portions  of  Scripture  ;  and  when  he  came  to 
that  passage,  John  xvii.  24,  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,"  &c.,  she  said, 
"  O  !  happy  am  I,  that  ever  I  was  born  to  see  this  blessed  day — 
praise,  O  praise  the  Lord  for  his  mercies  !"  On  the  evening  of 
May  31,  1601,  her  strength  and  speech  beginning  to  fail,  she 
said,  "  My  warfare  is  accomplished,  and  mine  iniquities  are  par- 
doned;"  and  immediately  resigned  her  happy  spirit  into  the 
hands  of  her  heavenly  Father.    [See  her  Life.] 

t  Mr.  Leigh  and  Mr.  Harris. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


13 


might  be  truly  said,  among  her  sisters,  "Many 
daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest 
them  all."  So  also  may  it  be  said  of  Am,  among 
his  brethren,  as  is  recorded  of  Jabez  among  his,  be- 
cause of  his  greater  acquaintance  with  God :  "  Jabez 
was  more  honorable  than  his  brethren,  because  he 
called  on  the  God  of  Israel,  and  God  granted  him 
that  which  he  requested." 

It  was  not  Mr.  Bruen's  double  portion,  the  privi- 
lege of  the  first-born ;  nor  his  birth  and  blood,  in 
being  so  respectably  descended ;  nor  his  dignity,  in 
being  so  honorably  allied :  it  was  not  all  or  any  of 
these  things  that  he  esteemed  the  ground  of  his 
praise  and  honor,  or  the  staff  of  his  comfort  and  re- 
joicing in  the  .world :  he  was  otherwise  taught  of 
God.  "Let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in  this,  that  he 
knoweth  me,  saith  the  Lord." 

It  would  be  well  if  the  rich  and  great,  like  this 
gentleman,  would  cease  to  admire  themselves  on  ac- 
count of  worldly  grandeur;  and  esteem  the  re- 
proach of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures 
of  Egypt.  For  what  is  the  flower  of  nature,  without 
grace,  but  a  stinking  iveed  of  a  fair  colour  ?  What 
is  nobility,  without  piety,  but  an  earthen  pitcher^  cov- 
ered with  silver  dross  f  What  is  he  that  is  rich  in 
the  world,  and  not  rich  towards  God,  but  a  branded 
fool^  even  by  God's  own  sentence,  though  he  have 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years,  and  say  to  his  soul, 
as  if  he  had  spoken  to  a  swine,  "Soul,  take  thine 


14 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


ease;  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry?"  And  what  is  a 
gentleman,  without  the  tme  faith  of  Christ  in  his 
heart,  and  the  holy  fruits  thereof  in  his  life,  but  a 
mere  gentileman,  an  alien  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel,  and  a  stranger  from  the  covenants  of  promise, 
without  hope,  and  without  God  ? 

Notwithstanding  Mr.  Bruen  wanted  Timothy's 
education,  who  was  instructed  in  the  Scriptures 
from  his  childhood ;  yet  have  I  heard  well  of  his 
parents'  care  in  bringing  him  up,  with  the  rest  of 
their  children,  in  an  orderly,  civil,  and  (as  the  times 
then  were)  religious  manner ;  and  the  Lord  preserv- 
ed him,  in  his  younger  years,  both  from  the  poison 
of  popish  superstition,  and  the  contagion  of  gross 
sins  (which,  for  want  of  the  light  and  life  of  the 
ministry  of  the  Gospel,  then  reigned  in  those  parts) 
as  if  he  intended  to  reserve  him  as  a  vessel  of  lionour 
for  his  own  house,  and  so  by  little  and  little  to  fit 
him  for  the  purpose.  I  do  not  say,  that  he  was  at 
that  time  altogether  free  from  all  savor  and  smell  of 
popish  lees  and  lies ;  or  that  his  heart,  in  the  heat 
of  youth,  had  been  entirely  clear  from  youthful 
lusts ;  but  that,  to  the  glory  of  the  grace  of  God,  he 
was  not  settled  upon  any  popish  dregs,  nor  addicted 
to  any  of  the  common  and  cursed  sins  of  the  time. 

"When  he  was  about  seven  years  old,  his  father 
having  rebuked  and  corrected  him  sharply  for  the 
commission  of  a  fault,  he,  being  in  much  grief  on 
account  of  his  parent's  displeasure,  and  desiring  to 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN",  ESQ.  16 

find  some  means  of  comfort  and  relief,  took  up  a 
little  prayer-book,  and  went  apart  into  his  father's 
chapel ;  and  there,  in  reading  and  praying,  as  well 
as  he  could,  was  comforted  with  inexpressible  joys. 
This  he  himself  related;  and  added,  "But  being 
a  child,  I  knew  not  what  those  joys  meant ;  the 
next  day  I  went  to  the  chapel  again,  and  used  the 
same  means,  but  found  not  the  like  comfort." 

What  we  ought  to  think  concerning  a  child's 
prayer,  and  such  inexpressible  joys  thereupon,  I 
cannot  well  say ;  yet  I  remember  what  Austin  says 
of  himself  when  a  child,  viz.,  that,  observing  others 
pray  to  God,  he  learnt  to  conceive  of  him  as  some 
great  and  mighty  One,  who,  though  he  was  not 
known  by  sight,  yet  could  both  hear  and  help  us  at 
his  pleasure :  " For,  being  but  a  child,"  saith  he,  "I 
began  to  pray  unto  thee,  my  help  and  my  refuge ; 
and  I  prayed,  with  no  little  affection,  that  I  might 
not  be  beaten  at  school."  No  doubt  God  doth 
sometimes  cause  the  holy  and  heavenly  fire  of 
divine  grace  to  break  forth  from  the  hearts  and  lips 
of  children,  in  prayer  to  himself,  when,  through 
weakness  of  understanding  and  want  of  judgment, 
they  neither  knew  whence  it  is,  nor  what  is  the 
meaning  thereof.  Samuel,  when  a  child,  ministered 
unto  the  Lord  before  Eli,  though  he  knew  him  not, 
neither  had  had  a  revelation  of  his  word ;  yea,  he  had 
communion  with  the  Lord,  as  recorded  1  Sam.  iii. 
10.    "Samuel!   Samuel!  then  Samuel  answered, 


16  LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 

Speak ;  for  thy  servant  heareth."  I  know  we  are 
not  to  look  for  such  things  now  a  days ;  yet,  seeing 
the  Lord  is  not  bound,  though  he  bind  us  to  the  use 
of  his  ordinary  means,  he  may  make  sweet  impres- 
sions of  his  Spirit  and  truth  on  the  hearts  of  chil- 
dren, as  I  doubt  not  he  did  on  the  heart  of  Mr. 
Bruen,  when  he  was  grieved  on  account  of  having 
offended  his  father,  patiently  submitted  to  his  se- 
vere correction,  and  had  recourse  to  the  Lord,  by 
such  means  as  were  in  his  power,  both  for  the  par- 
don of  his  sin,  and  the  comfort  of  his  soul  under 
that  affliction ;  which  I  am  the  rather  inclined  to 
think  was  the  case,  because,  being  asked  in  his  riper 
years  as  to  the  beginning  of  his  calling  and  conver- 
sion, his  usual  answer  was,  "  Even  of  a  child  little." 

For  want  of  a  schoolmaster  at  home,  Mr.  Bruen 
was  in  his  tender  years  sent  to  his  uncle  Button's, 
of  Button,  there  to  be  trained  up  under  James  Koe  ; 
where  he  continued  three  years :  and  here  he  learnt 
something  of  grammar  and  a  little  civility,  but  re- 
ceived no  nurture  and  information  in  true  religion, 
his  uncle's  family  being  great,  and  of  great  liberty. 

When  he  lived  at  this  place,  by  means  of  musi- 
cians, and  a  chest  of  viols  which  was  kept  in  the 
house,  he  was  drawn  by  desire  and  delight  into  the 
dancing-school;  where  he  profited  so  well  in  that 
kind  of  youthful  activity,  that  he  not  only  pleased 
himself  therewith,  but  gave  more  delight  to  his 
parents  than  was  meet. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


17 


The  principal  cause  of  his  parents'  error  and^  his 
own  vanity,  touching  these  things,  was,  as  himself 
acknowledgeth,  the  popish  and  profane  state  of  the 
people  of  the  country  round  them  in  those  days : 
for  At  that  time,"  saith  he,  "  the  holy  Sabbaths  of 
the  Lord  were  wholly  spent,  in  all  places  about  us, 
in  May-games  and  May -poles,  pipings  and  dancings ; 
for  it  was  a  rare  thing  to  hear  of  a  preacher,  or  to 
have  one  sermon  in  a  year — all  living  profanely  in 
ignorance  and  error." 

Our  eyes,  God  be  blessed,  have  seen  better  days, 
because  of  the  day  of  grace;  and  our  ears  have 
heard  of  better  things,  by  the  Gospel  of  grace :  and 
shall  we,  then,  that  are  called  to  be  the  children  of 
the  light,  remain  in  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful 
works  of  darkness,  as  if  we  still  loved  darkness 
more  than  light?  God  forbid.  How  shall  we, 
that  are  dead  to  such  sins,  live  yet  therein  ? 
*■  In  a  common  contagion,  when  the  inhabitants  of 

a  place  are  in  danger,  men  are  wont  to  provide  for 
their  health  by  removal  to  a  better  air ;  if  our  vine- 
yards are  overgrown  with  brambles  and  briars,  and 
we  cannot  get  rid  of  them,  we  remove  the  best 
plants  to  a  better  soil :  so  did  the  Lord  put  it  into 
the  hearts  of  this  gentleman's  parents  to  deal  with 
him  ;  who  transplanted  him  into  the  University  of 
Oxford,  that  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  when  about  17 
years  of  age  ;  where  he  probably  first  received  the 
love  of  the  truth  with  an  understanding  mind.  He 


18 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


was  accompanied  by  his  brother  Thomas,  and  they 
were  both  maintained  there,  as  Gentlemen  Com- 
moners, in  Alban  Hall,  in  an  orderly  and  sufficient 
manner,  for  the  space  of  two  years. 

It  appears  that  he  brought  with  him  to  Oxford 
some  seeds  and  weeds  of  popish  errors.  He  ac- 
knowledgeth,  that,  as  St.  Paul  said  of  the  men  of 
Athens,  he  was  then  very  superstitious — Augustine 
confesseth,  he  was  a  Manichee  before  he  was  a  pro- 
fessor and  preacher  of  the  true  religion  ;  and  Paul 
acknowledgeth  he  was  a  Pharisee  before  he  was  en- 
trusted in  Christ's  service.  Every  man,  indeed,  by 
nature,  is  a  Pharisee,  and  more  or  less  a  friend  to 
popery ;  there  being  no  religion  so  agreeable  to  car- 
nal reason  and  fleshly  wisdom,  nor  so  pleasing  to 
natural  affection,  as  pharisaic  devotion  and  hypoc- 
risy, popish  superstition  and  idolatry ;  which  is  not 
said  with  an  intention  to  lessen  Mr.  Bruen's  fault, 
or  to  draw  a  veil  over  the  errors  of  his  youth ;  but 
to  magnify  the  grace  of  God,  who  found  him  going 
astray  like  a  lost  sheep,  and  was  pleased  to  bring 
him  back  to  the  flock  and  fold  of  Christ. 

The  special  instrument  whereby  the  Lord  did 
work  was  his  own  word,  first  sounded  in  his  ear  by 
one  of  his  companions,  a  towardly  young  gentle- 
man, and  afterwards  applied  by  the  Spirit  to  his 
heart.  The  gentleman  here  alluded  to  was  Mr. 
John  Brerewood,  the  son  of  an  alderman  of  the 
city  of  Chester ;  who,  being  well  grounded  in  the 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


19 


truth,  and  seeing  Mr.  Bruen  infected  witL.  some 
popish  errors,  as  the  forbearing  of  meats  and 
drinks  for  conscience  sake,  on  Friday  and  other 
days,  the  forbidding  of  marriage  to  ministers,  and 
divers  other  opinions  of  the  like  nature,  being  as 
willing  to  shew  himself  an  enemy  to  his  errors  as  a 
friend  to  his  person,  mounting  God's  great  ordinance 
against  the  popish  canons  and  constitutions,  taking 
Ms  shot  and  powder  from  the  Scriptures,  he  fired 
from  the  altar  and  battered  down  the  strong  holds 
of  Satan,  laying  level  with  the  ground  every  papis- 
tical opinion  that  had  exalted  itself  against  the  true 
knowledge  of  God,  and  so  brought  every  thought 
into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ ;  insomuch 
that  the  word  of  God  was  ever  after  better  esteemed 
and  entertained  by  him.  The  portion  of  Scripture 
which  he  principally  urged  was,  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  2,  3, 
4,  5,  against  the  doctrine  of  forbidding  meats  and 
marriage. 

The  ordinary  public  means  of  conversion  is,  I 
confess,  the  ministry  of  reconcihation  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel;  yet  can  it  not  be  denied  that 
God  doth  sometimes  use  private  persons  for  enlight- 
ening, convincing  or  smiting  the  consciences  of  sin- 
ners, or  drawing  them  from  the  fellowship  of  their 
old  companions  into  the  ordinances  of  God  and  the 
communion  of  his  servants.  "  The  fruit  of  the 
righteous  is  a  tree  of  life,  and  he  that  winneth  souls 
is  wise,"  saith  Solomon.    Daniel  also  hath  a  saying 


20 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


to  the  like  purpose :  "  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine 
as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament;  and  they  that 
turn  many  unto  righteousness,  as  the  stars,  for  ever 
and  ever."  St.  James  speaks  yet  more  plainly,  chap. 
V.  19,  20.  So  was  David  drawn  from  his  bloody 
rage  by  Abigail's  wholesome  counsel.  So  was 
Monica,  Augustine's  mother,  reclaimed  by  her  maid 
calling  her  Merihihulam.^  So  did  Augustine,  in  a 
rhetoric  lecture,  convert  Alipius,  by  a  similitude 
taken  from  the  vain  games,  wherein  he  immoder- 
ately delighted. 

What  proficiency  Mr.  Bruen  made  during  his 
stay  at  the  university,  I  cannot  say,  but  I  conjecture 
it  could  not  have  been  much,  as  the  time  was  short, 
the  means  for  his  aid  but  small,  and  the  impedi- 
ments many ;  especially  these  two,  which  are  blocks 
in  the  way  of  many,  and  great  ones  two,  dulling 
the  edge  of  desire  and  delight  in  the  studies  of  a 
college ;  namely,  idleness  and  remissness  at  home, 
and  ignorance  of  the  true  grounds  of  grammar, 
which  they  should  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
before  they  are  sent  thither.  However,  a  scholar 
cannot  be  made  out  of  every  piece  of  timber,  neither 
is  every  man's  metal  of  gold,  but  some  of  silver, 
some  of  brass,  &c.  I  will  not  say  that  the  gentle- 
man of  whom  we  speak  was  of  the  best  nature  for 
making  a  scholar  of,  nor  of  the  best  disposition  for 
great  employments;  but  I  am  well  assured,  that 

*  A  wine-bibber. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


21 


upon  such  a  nature,  and  such  learning  as  he  had, 
the  Lord  was  pleased  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  better 
building  (begun  in  his  youth,  and  reared  up  in  his 
riper  age)  than  all  the  gold  and  silver  either  of  nature 
or  art  could  otherwise  have  provided  for  him.  It  is 
the  wisdom  of  our  God,  when  he  will  furnish  men 
Avith  his  graces^  and  employ  them  in  his  service, 
sometimes  to  pass  by  such  as  are  noble  by  birth, 
comely  in  person,  and  excellent  for  natural  and  ac- 
quired abilities,  and  make  choice  of  such  as  are  of  a 
middle  or  mean  estate,  of  inferior  parts  and  gifts,  and 
who  are  very  unlikely,  in  the  eye  of  reason,  to  com- 
pass any  great  matters,  or  perform  any  good  ser- 
vices for  God  or  man:  and  this  he  doth,  that  all 
may  know  their  sufficiency,  and  the  ef&cacy  and 
fruit  of  all  their  desires,  to  be  of  God ;  that  he  who 
worketh  all  may  have  the  glory  of  all,  both  now 
and  ever. 

One  egg  is  not  more  like  another  than  this  gen- 
tleman was  to  the  admirable  Galeacius  Caracciolus, 
Marquis  of  Yico,  in  Italy,  as  the  sequel  of  this 
story  will  show ;  who,  being  young,  a  mean  scholar, 
and  but  lately  entered  into  the  school  of  Christ,  was 
assailed  by  the  Arians  and  Anabaptists  in  those 
parts,  who  endeavored  to  seduce  him  from  the  truth, 
and  entangle  him  in  their  gross  errors  and  blas- 
phemous fancies.  Notwithstanding  many  of  his 
opponents  were  men  of  learning,  yet,  by  the  sim- 
plicity and  plainness  of  the  truth  of  God,  and  the 


22 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


inspiration  of  tlie  Holy  Ghost,  he  not  only  discover- 
ed the  folly  of  their  heresies,  but  even  untied  their 
knots,  brake  their  nets  wherewith  they  would  have 
held  him,  and  mightily  confuted  them. 

In  the  year  1579,  Mr.  Bruen  left  the  university, 
and  returned  to  the  place  of  his  nativity,  his  father 
being  desirous  of  settling  him  in  the  marriage  state. 
In  the  year  following  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Hard- 
ware, who  had  been  twice  Mayor  of  Chester,  was 
recommended  to  the  father,  and  by  him  proposed  to 
his  son :  which  proposal  he  entertained  with  rever- 
ence, well  knowing  that  he  was  to  him  in  God's 
stead,  as  to  the  disposal  of  him  in  matrimon}^  Ac- 
cordingly, not  long  after,  on  the  mutual  love  and 
assent  of  the  parties,  and  the  joint  consent  of  the 
parents,  they  were  married  in  the  fear  of  God. 

This  was  a  pious  entrance  upon  God's  ordinance, 
the  matter  beinsr  so  warrantable  on  all  sides :  for  in 
this  case  the  father  doth  not  marry  the  son  under 
years  of  discretion ;  nor  doth  the  son,  being  of  age 
to  judge  for  himself,  steal  from  his  father,  and,  by 
wanton  attempts,  and  rash  and  foolish  contracts,  pre- 
vent his  father's  choice,  and  bestow  himself  at  his 
pleasure.  This  is  worthy  the  observation  and  imita- 
tion of  parents  and  children,  in  their  matrimonial 
contracts,  especially  such  as  are  higher  iu  rank  than 
ordinary.  There  are  many  gentlemen,  and  others 
too,  so  earthly-minded  and  covetous,  that  no  sooner 
do  their  childi'cu  peep  out  of  the  shell,  but  they  be- 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


23 


gin  to  plot  and  provide  a  match  for  them,  little 
regarding  where  they  set  and  sow,  graft  and  plant. 

It  was  far  otherwise  with  the  couple  of  whom  we 
are  speaking,  who  were  united  in  the  fear  of  God, 
and  continued  together  with  much  comfort  and  con- 
tent, he  dwelling  with  her  as  a  man  of  knowledge, 
and  she  with  him  as  a  faithful  helper ;  and  they  had 
the  blessedness  of  seeing  their  children  as  branches 
of  the  vine,  or  as  olive  plants  round  about  their 
table,  for  the  space  of  seventeen  years. 

In  the  early  part  of  Mr.  Bruen's  matrimonial 
state,  being  in  the  prime  of  life  (about  the  twenty- 
first  year  of  his  age),  he  was  much  addicted  to  the 
ordinary  exercises  and  recreations  of  hunting  and 
hawking,  attending  horse-races,  and  affecting  the 
company  of  such  gentlemen  of  note  as  took  pleas- 
ure in  these  things ;  insomuch,  that,  joining  with 
Ealph  Done,  Esq.,  grandfather  to  that  worthy 
Knight,  Sir  John  Done,  late  High  Sheriff  of  the 
county  of  Chester,  they  kept  between  them  fourteen 
couple  of  great-mouthed  dogs,  for  the  purpose  of 
satisfying  their  humor  and  pleasure  in  the  sports  of 
the  field. 

I  have  not  much  to  commend  him  for  in  these 
matters,  but  rather  think  him  blame- worthy,  for  mis- 
spending his  precious  time  in  such  carnal  delights, 
and  wasting  his  estate  upon  brutes,  to  serve  his  lust, 
which  might  have  been  much  better  bestowed  on 
his  own  family,  or  the  poor  members  of  Jesus 


24 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


Christ :  for  if  we  must  give  an  account,  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  of  every  idle  word,  how  much,  more 
shall  we  be  accountable  for  every  idle  hour  and 
every  idle  loork! — and  if,  when  we  have  plenty  of 
food,  we  are  carefully  to  gather  up  the  broken  meat, 
that  nothing  be  lost,  bow  much  more  ought  we  to 
be  careful  that  we  be  not  guilty  of  so  wicked  and 
wilful  waste  as  to  give  the  children's  bread  unto  dogs, 
when  the  cries  of  the  poor  cannot  be  heard  for  the 
yelling  of  these  animals.  That  which  Judas  spake 
we  may  here  rejDeat  with  propriety:  ''What  need 
of  all  this  waste  ?" 

"But  what  is  meant  by  all  this?"  some  may 
inquire;  "will  you  condemn  all  hunting,  &c.,  as 
sinful  and  unlaT\^ul?"  I  will  tell  you  my  opinion 
respecting  the  question  in  a  few  words.  Amongst 
the  creatures  of  God,  since  the  fall  of  man,  tbere 
are  some  profitable  and  some  noisome;  and -very 
many  of  both  kinds  are  at  enmity  amongst  them- 
selves. There  are  not  any  of  those  which,  are 
serviceable  to  man,  but  what  groan  under  bondage. 
This  was  not  so  from  the  beginning.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  sin  of  our  first  parents,  there  would  not 
have  been  any  strife  or  variance  in  the  brute  crea- 
tion :  tlie  wolf  would  have  dwelt  -^-ith.  the  lamb,  and 
th.e  leopard  have  lain  down  with  the  kid  ;  and  the  calf, 
and  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatling  together ;  and 
a  little  child  might  have  led  them.  From  this  we 
may  conclude,  that,  if  the  eagle  fly  after  her  prey, 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ.  25 

the  hound  pursue  the  hare,  and  the  hawk  seize  the 
partridge  in  con'sequence  of  our  sin,  these  things 
cannot  properly  be  delighted  in.  I  therefore  think 
it  unlawful  to  take  pleasure  in  the  pain  and  torture 
inflicted  by  one  brute  upon  another.  God  hath 
given  us  liberty  to  take  the  lives  of  some  of  his 
creatures,  and  the  labor  of  others,  for  our  use ;  and 
hath  allowed  us  means,  1  o' h  natural  and  artificial, 
to  bring  them  to  our  bands ;  so  may  we  use,  with 
discretion  and  moderation,  the  swiftness  of  the  grey- 
hound to  course  the  hare,  the  sight  and  flight  of  the 
hawk  to  take  the  partridge,  the  scent  and  sagacity  of 
the  hound  to  hunt  the  deer,  the  nimbleness  and  sub- 
tlety of  the  tumbler  to  catch  the  coney  ;  yet  we  are 
by  no  means  to  delight  ourselves  in  the  enmity  of  the 
creatures,  as  I  once  observed  a  gentleman  do,  who, 
being  about  to  feed  a  hawk,  took  a  live  pigeon  by 
the  wings,  and  with  great  violence  rent  them  from 
the  body,  and  then  plucked  away  the  legs  also,  the 
body  of  the  poor  creature  tremblmg  in  his  hand, 
while  the  hawk  devoured  the  limbs,  to  the  gentle- 
man's great  satisfaction. 

"A  good  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast,"  saith  Solo- 
mon ;  giving  him  a  due  allowance  of  pasture,  fod- 
der, and  provender,  moderating  his  labor,  and  with- 
holding his  hand  from  cruelly  beating,  spurring, 
whipping  and  scourging  him.  The  groans  of  the 
horses  used  in  hunting,  racing,  &c.,  should  soften 
the  hearts  of  their  foolish  masters.  If  our  enk7n,y\ 
2 


26 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


ass  lie  under  his  burden,  we  are  in  duty  bound  to 
relieve  him :  How  much  less  ought  we  to  lay  intol- 
erable burdens  upon  our  own  beasts !  0  that  we 
could  learn  to  be  mercifal  as  He  is  whose  tender 
mercies  are  over  all  his  works ! — and  that  horse- 
racers,  rank -riders,  and  hot-spur  hunters,  would 
moderate  their  pursuits  after  pleasure,  in  imitation 
of  the  following  example  ! 

Mr.  Bruen  having  spent  some  years  of  his  life  in 
vain  delights,  as  above  related,  lest  he  should  trifle 
away  his  time  in  carnal  pleasures  any  longer,  the 
Lord  awoke  him  to  a  sense  of  his  error,  and  began 
to  prepare  him  for  better  employment. 

In  the  year  1587  it  pleased  God  to  call  for  his 
worthy  father ;  on  which  occasion,  he,  being  much 
perplexed,  both  in  mind  and  estate,  sorrow,  fear  and 
care  began  to  work  within  him ;  and  the  Lord  em- 
braced this  opportunity  for  his  effectual  calling  and 
reformation.  This  he  did  by  the  rebukes  of  his 
word  and  checks  of  his  Spirit,  convincing  his  judg- 
ment, and  changing  his  mind  from  the  love  of  base 
things  to  a  delight  in  those  which  •  are  far  better. 
Kow  he  began  to  search  his  heart  and  try  his  ways ; 
and,  calling  himself  to  account  for  his  former 
courses,  what  he  had  felt  in  the  pleasures  of  life  he 
measured  by  the  line  of  the  word,  and  weighed  it 
in  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary  ;  and,  behold,  it  all 
proved  vanity  of  vanities,  and  vexation  of  spirit. 

Although  the  pangs  of  his  conversion,  and  the 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BEUEN,  ESQ.  27 

pains  of  his  new  birth,  were  not  so  violent  as  those 
felt  by  Paul,  Constantino,  or  Luther ;  yet  his  expe- 
rience herein  was  not  much  unlike  that  of  the  pious 
Austin,  at  the  time  of  his  conversion ;  who,  being 
weary  of  the  ways  of  vanity,  and  grievously  tired 
with  the  weight  of  his  sins,  in  a  holy  desire  to  cast 
off  the  burden  that  pressed  him  down,  and  to  shake 
off  the  pleasing  snar«s  that  entangled  him,  poured 
out  his  very  heart  in  prayers  and  tears  before  the 
Lord,  thus :  "  How  long.  Lord,  wilt  thou  be  angry  ? 
for  ever  ?  Be  not  mindful  of  my  old  sins.  How 
long?  how  long?  To-morrow!  and  to-morrow! 
Why  not  to-day  ?  why  is  there  not  this  hour  an  end 
of  my  former  filthiness  ?"  Oh  happy  Austin  !— 
who  wast  thus  humbled,  that  thou  mightest  be  ex- 
alted."^ 

I  will  not  compare  Mr.  Bruen  with  St.  Austin, 
as  to  the  measure  of  grace  he  possessed ;  but  with 
respect  to  the  manner,  means,  time,  and  truth  of 
his  conversion,  they  may  well  go  hand  in  hand. 

Austin  was  about  thirty-two  years  of  age  when 
effectually  converted ;  so  was  he.  Austin  had  at  that 
time  many  combats  between  carnal  reason  and  reli- 
gion, the  flesh  and  the  Spirit ;  and  so  had  he. 
Austin  had  his  heart  full  of  prayers,  and  his  eyes 

*. , .  .Wisdom  smiles  when  humbled  mortals  weep, 
When  sorrow  wounds  the  breast,  as  ploughs  the  glebe, 
And  hearts  obdurate  feel  her  soft'ning  shower  : 
Her  seed  celestial,  then,  glad  Wisdom  sows. 


28 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


full  of  tears,  when  he  sought  the  Lord ;  and  so  had 
he.  Austin  held  communion  with  God  by  collo- 
quies, soliloquies,  holy  and  heavenly  meditations ; 
so  did  he.  Austin,  having  once  tasted  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  Lord,  thought  nothing  so  pleasant  as  to 
forego  his  former  vain  delights,  and  esteemed  it  a 
happiness  to  renounce  those  joys  and  toys  which 
before  he  was  afraid  of  losing  ;«such  was  Mr.  Bruen's 
experience,  when  he  had  drunk  more  freely  than 
heretofore  of  the  streams  Avhich  flow  from  the  Eiver 
that  maketh  glad  the  city  of  God.  Austin's  conver- 
sion was  very  soon  made  a  blessing  to  several  of 
his  friends,  viz :  Alipius,  Nebridius,  and  Evodius, 
Avho  were  likewise  turned  from  darkness  to  light ; 
so  was  this  gentleman's  conversion  attended  with 
the  like  unspeakable  blessing  on  several  of  his 
friends,  viz  :  brothers,  sisters,  and  neighbors. 
Austin,  after  his  conversion,  sought  and  served  the 
Lord  with  great  power  and  zeal,  striving  for  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel ;  so  did  he,  according  to  his 
situation,  and  the  gifts  and  graces  he  possessed  ; 
and  though  in  this  respect  he  was  much  inferior  to 
Austin,  yet  was  he  superior  to  many  of  his  rank. — 
The  truth  of  these  particulars  will  be  seen  in  the 
sequel. 

Some  of  the  first,  though  not  the  fairest  fruits  of 
his  change,  appeared  when  he  fell  heir  to  his  father's 
estate.  He  began  to  cast  out  all  impediments  which 
might  hinder,  and  to  embrace  all  helps  that  might 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 


29 


further  him  in  running  the  race  which  the  Lord  had 
set  before  him.  The  thoughts  of  two  matters  in 
particular  perplexed  him,  which  were  :  1.  How 
he  might,  with  small  beginnings,  provide  for  his 
family  ;  and,  2.  How  he  should  discharge  the  trust 
reposed  in  him  by  his  father,  of  paying  the  portions 
of  twelve  children  out  of  the  produce  of  the  lauds. 

In  order  to  accomplish  these  things,  he  wisely 
and  conscientiously  laid  aside  hawks  and  hounds, 
and  for  ever  cast  off  his  wide-mouthed  dogs  ;  and 
further,  having  a  goodly  park  at  the  back  of  his 
house,  well  stored  with  fallow  deer,  he  immediately 
killed  the  game,  and  disparked  the  land,  drawing 
himself  to  a  narrow  compass,  living  frugally  and 
contentedly,  and  yet  very  competently ;  by  which 
means  he  provided  sufficiently  for  his  family,  and 
faithfully  discharged  the  trust  reposed  in  him, 
paying  his  brethren  and  sisters  their  respective 
portions. 

After  the  Lord  had  mercifully  revealed  himself 
in  his  Son  Christ  unto  him,  causing  the  light  of  his 
countenance  to  shine  upon  his  heart,  he  could  not 
rest  till  he  had,  with  Obed-edom,  brought  the  ark 
of  God  into  his  house  ;  and  this  he  did  with  much 
comfort  and  rejoicing,  raising  an  altar  for  the  worship 
of  God  in  his  family,  and  so  making  it  a  little  Bethel, 
a  house  of  God,  a  pledge  of  his  presence,  and  a  j)lace 
for  his  service.  Though  none  of  the  neighbouring 
gentlemen  would  join  him,  yet  did  he  resolve  with 


30 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 


JosliTia,  ''land  my  house  will  serve  the  Lord." 
With  holy  David,  he  "  walked  wisely  in  the  midst 
of  his  house,"  favouring  the  godly,  but  not  suffer- 
ing a  wicked  person  to  abide  in  his  sight." 

To  be  more  particular:  His  principal  care  was 
for  his  wife  and  children  ;  that  he  might  dwell  with 
her  as  a  man  of  knowledge,  and  bring  up  them  in 
the  nurture  and  information  of  the  Lord;  and 
though  he  had  some  crosses,  yet  he  had  much 
comfort  in  their  well-doing. 

Mrs.  Bruen  was  well  affected  towards  religion 
before,  and  much  exercised  in  the  duties  thereof ; 
but  now,  by  the  instrumentality  of  her  husband,  she 
was  brought  to  a  higher  degree  of  knowledge  and 
grace,  and  became  a  helper  in  the  best  things, 
drawing  with  him  in  the  yoke  of  Christ,  as  a  true 
Christian,  both  as  to  doing  and  suffering  the  will  of 
their  heavenly  Father. 

A  good  example  this  for  husbands  ! — he  not  only 
provides  for  his  spouse  temporal  comforts  and  con- 
veniencies,  but  also  those  which  are  far  more  excel- 
lent. It  is  also  worthy  the  imitation  of  such  women 
as  would  be  found  among  the  number  of  good  wives, 
tractable  to  observe  and  obey  their  husbands,  in  the 
Lord. 

How  miserable  is  the  condition  of  those  families 
whose  governors  are  unequally  yoked,  differing  both 
in  opinion  and  affection  touching  religion,  the 
husband  drawing  one  way,  and  the  wife  another ! 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


31 


— Suppose  the  husband  an  Atheist,  who  calls  not 
upon  God,  returns  no  thanks  at  his  table,  nor  reads 
the  sacred  Scriptures  ;  the  wife  a  blind  Papist, 
contenting  herself  with  her  beads  and  books  in  a 
private  chamber,  so  feeding  and  cherishing  her 
seduced  heart  and  corrupted  humour.  Suppose  the 
husband  a  profane  Esau,  minding  only  earthly- 
things  ;  the  wife  a  godly  matron,  with  Martha's 
care  and  Mary's  choice.  Suppose  one  of  the  parties 
thinks  very  little  too  much  in  the  service  of  God  ; 
the  other,  that  all  which  can  be  done,  in  religious 
duties  of  the  family,  is  very  insufl&cient  for  testifying 
his  or  her  love  to  Almighty  God.  Or  suppose  the 
husband  contents  himself  with  a  form  of  godliness, 
putting  a  shag-haired  serving-man  to  read  a  few  cold 
prayers,  and  a  simple  and  silly  child  to  say  grace, 
so  slubbering  over  the  morning  and  evening  service 
with  as  much  content  as  though  he  had  in  his  house 
Micah's  leyite,  or  one  of  Jeroboam's  priests,  to  assist 
in  worshipping  the  calf  which  is  set  up  in  the 
family  ;  while  the  wife  is  very  much  censured,  for 
rejecting  pharisaic  formality,  and  desiring  such  a 
powerful  and  effectual  means  of  grace  as  may  be 
instrumental  in  causing  the  whole  household  to 
show  forth  the  power  and  fruit  of  godliness  in  a 
good  conversation. — Alas  !  what  distractions  and 
contentions  must  needs  be  here  ! — what  disorders  in 
the  government  of  such  families  !  The  husband 
and  wife,  although  yoke-fellows,  are  yet  unequally 


82 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 


yoked  ;  one  draws  forward,  tlie  other  pulls  back- 
ward ;  one  puts  his  shoulder  to  the  burden,  the 
other  withdraws,  or  stands  in  an  open  opposition 
to  the  bearing  of  it ;  or  it  may  be  one  goes  in  the 
broad  way  presumptuously,  while  the  other  travels 
even  in  the  same  road  devotionally. 

The  case  was  very  different  with  Mr.  Bruen's 
family  ;  the  governors  whereof,  being  of  one  mind 
and  heart  in  the  profession  and  practice  of  vital 
godliness,  were  as  lamps,  shining  forth  in  holy 
example. 

They  instructed  their  children  in  the  principles  of 
religion  by  catechizing,  and  afterwards  built  them 
up  with  such  portions  of  Scripture  as  best  suited 
their  ages,  and  might  most  easily  make  impres- 
sions of  grace  and  truth  on  their  hearts;  and,  as 
a  good  father,  who  knew  that  sparing  the  rod 
might  spoil  the  child,  Mr.  Bruen  seconded  his 
instructions  with  occasional  corrections. 

If  at  any  time  his  heart  were  so  over-heated, 
by  hatred  of  their  sin,  and  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
God,  as  to  speak  unadvisedly,  or  deal  too  vio- 
lently with  his  hands,  he  was  afterwards  greatly 
troubled  and  humbled  in  his  mind,  to  think  that, 
in  going  about  to  heal  the  souls  of  others,  he  had 
wounded  his  own  ;  for  which  he  could  find  no 
better  a  remedy  than  to  have  recourse  to  his 
heavenly  Father  by  hearty  prayer.  As  fruits  of 
his  holy   desires  and   endeavours  touching  this 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


83 


matter,  he  learnt  to  be  more  watchful  over  his 
spirit  and  tongue  on  such  occasions ;  grew  more 
moderate  in  administering  correction,  keeping 
within  the  bounds  of  prudence  and  compassion  ; 
and  when  his  passions  were  very  vehement  against 
sin,  he  greatly  asswaged  the  heat  thereof  by  his  love 
and  pity  for  the  sinner.  He  lived  to  see  those  whom 
he  chastised  effectually  converted  and  reformed. 

Having  treated  of  the  branches  of  his  vine,  I  now 
come  to  the  plants  of  his  vine-yard,  namely,  his 
servants  ;  among  whom  there  ^\^as  not  one  idle  or 
unprofitable  person. 

His  choice  and  ordering  of  them  are  worthy 
commendation.  AYhen  he  heard  of  any  who 
began  to  set  their  faces  towards  Jerusalem,  or 
who  had  travelled  many  Sabbath-day  journies 
thitherwards  already,  his  heart  was  presently  towards 
them  ;  and  if  he  was  in  want  of  servants,  he  en- 
deavoured by  fair  means  to  draw  such  into  his 
employ,  in  preference  to  persons  of  any  other  descrip- 
tion whatsoever  ;  so  that  in  a  short  time  he  was 
so  well  provided  with  honest,  faithful,  and  godly 
servants,  both  men  and  women,  that,  like  Philemon, 
he  had  a  church  in  his  own  house. 

A  goodly  family! — where  parents  and  children, 
governors  and  servants,  are  all  either  devoted  to 
God,  or  submissive  to  the  duties  of  religion  ! 

Those  of  his  servants  who  were  most  pious,  he 
reckoned  most  faithful  to  himself ;  and  such  he 
2* 


34 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


esteemed  as  his  fellow-servants  under  Jesus  Christ. 
He  sometimes  made  them  his  familiar  companions, 
counselling,  conferring,  consulting,  and  determining 
with  them,  in  matters  of  conscience,  and  other  impor- 
tant concerns  ;  and  used  them  as  his  comforters  in 
affliction  and  temptation. 

Among  the  rest,  he  had  one  servant  of  special 
note,  an  old  disciple,  like  Mnason,  who  was  con- 
sidered as  the  father  of  his  domestics.  His  name 
was  Eobert  Pasfield ;  but  he  was  better  known  by 
the  appellation  Old  Robert. 

This  man  was  utterly  unlearned,  being  unable  to 
read  a  sentence,  or  to  write  a  syllable ;  yet  was  he  so 
well  taught  of  God,  that  by  the  Almighty's  blessing 
on  his  own  industry,  he  grew  in  grace  as  he  did  in 
years,  and  became  ripe  in  understanding  and  mighty 
in  the  Scriptures.  He  was  so  well  acquainted  with 
the  history  of  the  Bible,  and  the  contents  of  every 
chapter  thereof,  that  with  very  little  ado  he  would 
almost  always  tell  an  inquirer  in  what  book  and 
chapter  any  particular  sentence  was  to  be  found; 
insomuch  that  he  was  a  very  profitable  index  to  the 
family,  in  reminding  them  of  what  they  had  heard, 
but  lost  by  slip  of  memory :  he  was  also  a  godly  in- 
structor and  teacher  of  young  professors,  acquainting 
them  with  the  word,  and  exercising  their  hearts  unto 
godliness  by  the  precepts  and  examples  contained 
therein ;  which  he  frequently  did,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  as  opportunity  served. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


85 


Now  if  that  which  I  have  heard  be  true,  that  a 
good  text-man  is  a  good  divine,  Old  Kobert  was  one, 
in  our  country  proceedings.  He  had  a  good  gift  in 
prayer,  was  very  willing  as  well  as  able  to  confer 
upon  good  things,  careful  to  hear  the  word  preached, 
and  apt  to  refresh  his  own  and  others'  memo- 
ries, by  repetitions,  and  other  means  ;  one  of  which 
was  a  curious  girdle,  that  he  had  contrived  for  the 
purpose. 

Old  Eobert's  girdle  being  of  a  singular  construc- 
tion, we  shall  give  a  particular  description  of  it.  It 
was  of  leather,  and  long  enough  to  encircle  his  body 
twice :  he  divided  it  into  several  portions,  as  a  car- 
penter's rule,  allotting  each  book  of  the  Bible  to  one 
of  those  divisions ;  as,  Genesis  to  the  first.  Exodus 
to  the  second,  &c. — for  distinguishing  the  chapters 
of  each  book  he  annexed  long  points  or  thongs  to 
the  respective  divisions,  on  which  he  made  knots  for 
the  chapters ;  and  he  had  other  points  or  rushes,  to 
divide  these  again  into  their  particular  contents,  or 
verses,  as  occasion  required. 

This  girdle  he  made  use  of  for  the  same  purpose 
as  some  do  their  pen :  which  he  did  with  so  good  an 
effect,  in  observing  the  points  of  Scripture  alledged 
in  any  sermon,  and  binding  them  up  in  this  extraor- 
dinary contrivance,  that  in  handling  the  same 
afterwards,  and  repeating  what  he  had  heard,  he  re- 
ceived great  benefit  himself,  and  administered  mucti 
comfort  to  others. 


36 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


Such  was  Mr.  Bruen's  opinion  of  Old  Eobert's 
girdle,  that  he  reserved  it  in  his  study,  as  a  monu- 
ment of  God's  mercy,  and  his  faithful  old  servant's 
piety  and  industry. 

This  man  and  his  girdle  will  rise  up  in  judgment 
against  many  who  have  greater  opportunities  to 
know  the  will  of  God,  and  to  do  it ;  but  yet  are  un- 
mindful of  the  things  which  make  for  their  peace, 
and  retain  not  in  their  memories,  nor  treasure  up  in 
their  hearts,  the  blessed  truths  which  are  set  forth  in 
the  preaching  of  the  everlasting  Gospel. 

Old  Kobert,  though  a  mean  servant,  was  highly 
esteemed  by  his  worthy  master ;  who  would  often 
be  in  his  company,  frequently  visiting  him  at  the 
hop-yard  or  threshing-floor,  in  order  that  they  might 
confer  together,  and  that  Mr.  Bruen  might  take  a 
part  in  his  labour. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  genuine  humility  and  sin- 
cerity, that  the  master  does  not  consider  himself  a 
whit  abased  by  stooping  to  the  condition  of  his  ser- 
vant ;  nor  is  the  servant  a  jot  prouder,  or  more  pre- 
suming, for  his  master's  kind  dealing  with  him. 

Mr.  Bruen  was  very  unlike  too  many,  who  think 
they  should  lose  much  of  their  greatness,  if  they 
were  to  speak  kindly  to,  or  talk  familiarly  with 
their  godly  servants ;  through  which  they  are  less 
able  to  do  good  to  others,  and  deprive  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  of  receiving  benefit  from 
those  who  are  desirous  of  rendering  them  essential 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


37 


service. — It  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark,  that  there 
was  none  of  this  stately  stiffness  between  Abraham 
and  Eliezer,  Moses  and  Joshua,  Eli  and  Samuel, 
Paul  and  his  followers,  Christ  and  his  apostles :  no ; 
these  served  one  another  in  love,  seeking  each 
other's  succour. 

When  nearly  eighty  years  of  age,  having  spent 
about  thirty  of  them  in  Mr.  Bruen's  service.  Old 
Kobert  became  unfit  for  country  labour ;  when  his 
^ood  master  did  not  cast  him  off,  as  some  would  have 
done,  like  a  worn-out  dog,  but  nourished  and  cher- 
ished him  with  some  of  the  best  morsels  from  his 
own  table,  by  his  own  hand,  for  many  years ;  per- 
mitting him  to  sit  in  the  parlour,  or  in  the  buttery 
not  far  from  him,  that  even  at  meal-time  they  might 
converse  together.  And  thus  he  dealt  with  him, 
in  great  love  and  compassion,  till  the  day  of  his 
death. 

But  leaving  Old  Eobert  in  rest  and  bliss  with 
God,  we  proceed  to  say  something  further  concern- 
ing his  master ;  who,  notwithstanding  his  great  re- 
gard for  this  ancient  professor,  yet  did  he  wisely 
proportion  his  respect  for  the  rest  of  his  servants, 
to  their  content  and  his  own  comfort.  Some  of  the 
most  devout  he  made  choice  of  to  attend  him,  both 
at  home  and  abroad.  These  were  more  happy  than 
the  others,  as  he  was  ever  ready  to  impart  to  them 
wholesome  admonitions  and  instruction,  or  to  con- 
verse with  them  upon  religious  subjects,  whilst  they 


38 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


served  at  table,  or  journeyed  with  him  on  the  road. 
He  thought  his  table  never  better  furnished  than 
when  he  had  gracious  and  godly  persons  to  sit  with 
and  stand  near  him ;  nor  his  meat  better  seasoned, 
than  when  it  was  salted  with  such  wholesome  words 
as  might  minister  grace  to  the  hearers. 

How  different  from  this  is  the  conduct  of  those 
whose  heads  are  so  shallow,  that  they  cannot  speak 
of  divine  things  ;  their  hearts  so  empty  of  grace 
and  goodness,  that  they  can  have  no  quiet  in  their 
minds,  if  a  good  man  be  in  their  company ;  and  their 
judgment  so  beclouded,  as  to  imagine  they  cannot 
be  cheerful  if  God  be  retained  in  their  thoughts  !* 

He  was  not  forgetful  concerning  those  of  his 
servants  who  were  employed  in  husbandry,  &c.,  pro- 
portioning their  labor  to  their  strength,  their  wages 
to  their  labor,  and  always  allowing  them  time  to  ac- 
complish the  work  they  took  in  hand  ;  he  likewise 
gave  them  such  encouragement  as  might  tend  to 
make  them  cheerful  both  in  his  own  and  God's 
service. 

In  his  visiting  of  them,  which  was  frequent,  he 

Reader !  is  this  applicable  to  thee  ? — if  so,  be  assured  that 
thou  art  yet  "  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  the  bond  of  iniquity." 
Remember,  the  children  of  the  Most  High  are  in  the  possession 
of  that 

Which  nothing  earthly  gives, 

Or  can  destroy, 
The  soul's  calm  sunshine,  and 

The  HEARTFELT  JOY. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


39 


sometimes  took  occasion  to  speak  to  them  from  the 
nature  of  their  callings,  work,  and  wages ;  sometimes 
from  the  creatures  of  God,  their  nature,  end,  aijd  use ; 
and  sometimes  from  the  seasons  of  the  year — the 
spring,  seed-time,  summer,  harvest,  winter,  fair  or 
foul  weather,  and  the  like  ;  when  he  would  refer 
to  those  parts  of  Scripture  which  treated  of  these 
things,  for  their  further  instruction  and  edification. 

If  their  work  was  well  done,  he  would  commend 
them ;  if  the  contrary,  he  would  admonish  or  re- 
prove them  accordingly  ;  yet  not  with  reviling 
words,  as  ever  I  could  hear  ;  but  in  such  a  manner 
as  became  a  holy  man  and  a  good  master. 

His  servants  usually  exercised  themselves  in  god- 
liness by  mutual  exhortations  and  admonitions, 
praying  together  in  their  courses,  in  the  evening, 
for  a  blessing  on  their  desires  and  labours  ;  which 
they  generally  performed  in  the  kitchen,  after  family 
prayer  in  the  parlor. 

The  master  thus  governing  religiously,  and  the 
servants  thus  obeying  conscientiously,  Mr.  Bruen's 
house  became  a  common  nursery  for  the  churches 
of  God.  Such  of  his  servants  as  were  inclinable 
to  marriage  he  provided  well  for,  and  sent  them 
out  in  the  fear  of  God,  to  establish  divine  worship 
in  their  own  houses  ;  and  some  who  continued 
unmarried  he  bestowed  on  other  families,  or  suf- 
fered them  to  transplant  themselves  into  those 
houses  where  they  might  join  others  of  God's 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


servants  in  spreading  abroad  religion,  and  so  en- 
larging the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Clirist  ;  and  he 
supplied  the  places  of  these  by  taking  such  others 
into  his  family  as  Avere  fittest  for  being  planted 
or  watered  in  that  part  of  the  Lord's  ^'ineYard. 

HaA^ing  shown  how  he  ordered  his  family,  as 
to  the  discharge  of  religious  duties,  we  are  further 
to  observe  his  course  and  carriage  in  those  ex- 
ercises of  religion  which  he  every  morning  and 
evening  performed  with  them,  to  their  mutual 
comfort  and  the  glory  of  God.  He  well  knew 
that  family  duties  were  as  goads  and  spurs  in 
the  sides  of  godliness  :  like  coals  taken  from 
the  altar,  whereby  iniquity  is  purged,  and  the 
hearts  of  men  are  inflamed  with  holy  affection 
towards  God  and  good  things ;  or  like  the  buckling 
on  of  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  so  being 
furnished  with  offensive  and  defensive  weapons, 
the  Christian  soldier  may  stand  in  the  evil  day,  and 
go  through  the  duties  of  life  vdth  comfort  and 
satisfaction. 

From  these  and  the  like  serious  considerations, 
he  exercised  himself  and  his  family  in  the  following 
manner : 

Rising  early  in  the  morning  (between  three 
and  four  in  the  summer,  and  about  five  in  the 
winter )  he  devoted  an  hour  or  two  to  private 
prayer,  praise,  and  meditation,  before  he  rang 
the  bell  to  awake  the  rest  of  the  family  ;  en- 


LIFE  or  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


41 


deavouring  so  to  set  the  watch  in  the  morning, 
that  it  might  go  well  all  the  day ;  he  likewise 
usually  embraced  these  opportunities  to  write 
fair  some  part  of  such  sermons  as  in  a  running 
hand  he  had  taken  from  the  mouth  of  the 
preacher,  for  renewing  and  increasing  the  benefit 
and  comfort  he  had  already  received  by  the  same. 

When  the  family  were  come  together,  on  the 
ring  of  the  bell,  they  all  very  reverently  com- 
posed themselves  to  stand  in  the  presence  of 
Almighty  God  ;  and  then,  lifting  up  his  heart 
with  his  hands  to  God  in  the  heavens,  he 
began  thus  : 

Blessed  Lord  God,  and  our  most  merciful  Father  in  Christ 
Jesus,  we  thy  poor  children  do  humbly  beseech  thee  graciously 
to  assist  us  by  thy  Holy  Spirit  in  this  our  morning  exercise,  that 
we  may  faithfully  perform  the  same,  to  thy  praise  and  our  com- 
fort ;  and  that  for  Christ  his  sake,  our  only  Saviour  and 
Eedeemer,  Amen. 

This  short  prayer  I  do  the  more  willingly  insert, 
that  they  may  see  their  error,  who  hold  him  to  have 
been  an  enemy  to  all  set  forms  of  prayer ;  which 
mistake  of  theirs  may  be  more  clearly  seen,  by  ob- 
serving his  ordinary  practice  on  the  Lord's  day  in 
the  public  assembly,  where  he  with  reverence  ac- 
commodated himself  to  the  prayers  of  the  church. 

For  my  part,  I  shall  never  blame  a  man  for  seek- 
ing to  help  his  understanding,  memory,  and  affec- 
tions, by  forms  ;  but  if  he  rest  in  his  book-prayers, 


42 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


and  never  strive  to  speak  to  God  out  of  his  own 
heart,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  teacheth  to  say, 
''Abba,  Father,"  he  is  not  much  unlike  one  impo- 
tent and  weak,  who,  though  he  have  means  of  re- 
covery tendered  hiin,  would  rather  use  a  pair  of 
cratches,  borrowed  of  his  neighbour,  than  betake 
himself  to  his  own  legs  and  feet. 

To  proceed :  After  this  prayer,  he  called  on  the 
family  to  sing  such  of  the  psalms  as  he  pointed  out, 
with  grace  in  their  hearts,  to  the  Lord ;  which  they 
performed  with  such  melodious  voices  and  sweet  af- 
fections (himself  beginning  the  tune)  as  if  they 
wished  to  sound  forth  the  praises  •  of  God,  not  with 
David's  harp  merely,  but  with  David's  heart  also. 
With  this  exercise  he  was  much  delighted;  and  not 
unfrequently  his  spirit  was  so  ravished  therein,  that 
his  heart  would  leap  within  his  body,  as  John  Bap- 
tist did  in  his  mother's  womb:  yea,  he  was  so  great- 
ly affected  in  the  act  of  praising  God,  that  he  chose 
the  word  Hallelujah  for  his  poesy,  and  usually 
wrote  it  in  the  first  leaf  of  all  his  books. 

When  the  psalm  was  ended,  he  read  a  chapter  in 
the  Bible,  keeping  a  regular  course  in  his  reading, 
to  make  his  family  acquainted  with  the  order  and 
matter  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to  season  their  hearts 
with  some  portion  of  God's  word  in  the  morning, 
as  a  preservative  against  all  unsavory  thoughts, 
noisome  lusts,  rotten  speeches,  and  ungodly  works, 
during  the  day. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BEUEN,  ESQ. 


43 


And  now,  because  lie  knew  all  planting  and  water- 
ing were  in  vain,  unless  God  gave  the  blessing  of 
increase,  and  that  the  prayer  of  faith  availeth  much 
to  that  end,  he  and  his  family,  bowing  the  knees  of 
their  hearts  as  well  as  those  of  their  bodies,  before 
the  throne  of  grace,  commended  themselves  to  God 
in  humble  and  hearty  prayer,  making  their  requests 
known  to  him  in  all  manner  of  supplications,  with 
thanksgivings ;  which  Mr.  Bruen  usually  performed 
with  such  power  and  feeling,  fervency  and  sincerity, 
faith  -and  humility  (as  the  Spirit  of  grace  gave  him 
understanding  and  utterance,  and  as  their  several 
necessities  required),  that  he  was  often  much  ad- 
mired of  those  who  heard  him  ;  and  by  his  holy  pe- 
titions and  gracious  affections,  he  greatly  refreshed 
the  hearts  and  cheered  the  spirits  of  his  friends  and 
neighbours  who  joined  with  him.  He  would  so 
wrestle  with  God,  by  prayers  and  tears,  Jacob  like, 
as  to  prevail  with  his  heavenly  Friend  for  the  bles- 
sings he  wanted.  The  fruits  of  these  his  holy  desires 
and  endeavours  were  so  remarkable  in  his  own  fam- 
ily, that,  whether  he  prayed  against  sins  or  sorrows, 
or  sought  unto  God  for  grace  and  good  things,  sel 
dom  did  they  meet  again  to  worship,  but  they  had 
some  fresh  cause  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  Him 
who  is  far  more  ready  to  hear  than  mortals  are  to 
pray.  He  not  only  wisely  considered  what  to  ask 
in  prayer,  but  carefully  observed  how  he  sped  after- 
wards ;  like  David,  he  made  his  requests  known. 


44 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


and  then  patiently  waited,  to  see  what  success  he 
should  have  ;  being  thereby  enabled  to  approach 
the  Divine  Being  with  renewed  vigour  the  next 
opportunity. 

Thus  did  Mr.  Bruen  ordinarily  exercise  himself 
and  his  family  every  morning  ;  and  after  their  eve- 
ning repast  he  called  them  to  the  like  service  and 
sacrifice,  which  was  performed  much  in  the  same 
manner,  saving  that  he  then  took  more  pains  with 
them,  having  more  liberty  and  a  better  opportunity  ; 
for  in  the  evening  he  generally  instructed  his  family 
from  a  portion  which  he  took  in  the  chapter  then 
read,  propounding  and  applying  some  wholesome 
doctrine  ;  it  being  his  delight  to  edify  his  family  in 
faith  and  love,  and  to  train  them  up  in  the  know- 
ledge and  fear  of  God,  so  acquainting  them  with 
their  duties  towards  him  and  their  fellow-creatures, 
that,  living  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  the 
world,  they  might  beautify  their  profession,  and 
adorn  the  doctrine  of  Grod  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 

These  his  godly  pains  and  practices,  as  a  pastor 
in  his  house,  were  greatly  maligned,  reproached,  op- 
posed, and  questioned,  not  only  by  the  vulgar  sort, 
but  even  by  some  of  our  masters  in  Israel ;  whose 
negligence  was  reproved  by  his  diligence,  their  pro- 
faneness  checked  by  his  holiness,  the  government  of 
their  families  obscured  and  blemished  by  the  beau- 
tiful order  observed  in  his,  which  was  as  far 
advanced  above  some  of  theirs,  as  Bethel  was  above 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 


45 


Bethaven,  Sion  above  Sliilo,  or  the  temple  of  God 
above  the  temple  of  idols. 

When  he  observed,  and  wisely  considered,  the 
malignity  and  enmity  of  worldly  persons  against 
godly  duties,  in  order  to  justify  his  course,  and  stop 
the  mouths  of  these  gainsayers,  he  fortified  himself, 
both  as  to  judgment  and  practice,  by  painfully 
collecting  observations  on  the  Scriptures,  together 
with  the  expositions,  testimonies  and  examples 
of  good  men,  who  were  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
God,  and  favourable  to  the  doctrines  of  our  Church. 

I  have  read  what  he  thus  collected,  in  his 
own  hand-writing,  which  I  not  only  approve  of, 
but  like  well  ;  the  publishing  of  which,  how- 
ever, in  the  body  of  this  work,  would  not  be 
altogether  pertinent. 

The  Lord  having  warmed  the  heart  and  house  of 
Mr.  Bruen  with  the  love  of  the  truth,  there  arose 
out  of  this  heat  such  a  flame  of  holy  zeal  against 
lying  vanities,  and  for  promoting  the  true  worship 
and  glory  of  God,  that,  finding  in  his  own  cha- 
pel, being  a  part  of  Tarvin  church,  many  super- 
stitious images,  and  idolatrous  pictures  painted 
on  the  windows,  insomuch  that  scarce  the  breadth  of 
a  groat  of  white  glass  could  be  seen,  he  war- 
rantably  and  peaceably  took  down  the  same, 
and  reglazed  the  windows  with  white  and  bright 
glass,  at  his  own  cost ;  well  knowing,  that  these 
painted  puppets  and  dumb  images  obscured  the 


46 


LIFE  OF  JOHN"  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


light  of  the  Gospel,  as  well  as  darkened  the 
church,  however  they  might  be  considered  by  some 
as  Laymen's  books.  Being  encouraged  herein, 
not  only  by  the  word  of  God,  but  by  the  in- 
junctions of  the  Queen  (Elizabeth)  and  bj  a 
commission  sent  down  to  the  Earl  of  Derby, 
the  then  Mayor  of  Chester,  he  proceeded  from 
the  chapel  to  the  rest  of  the  church,  and  defaced 
every  image  which  he  deemed  dangerous  or  offensive 
in  any  part  thereof 

He  felt  such  enlargement  of  heart  towards 
God  and  his  people,  that  he  was  not  only  careful 
to  abolish  all  provocations  to  idolatry  and  false 
worship,  but  it  was  the  very  joy  of  his  soul  to  bring 
into  the  public  assembly  ( which  he  did  almost  every 
Lord's  day )  such  godly  and  able  ministers  as  fed  the 
people  with  knowledge  and  imderstanding,  such  as 
sowed  the  seeds  of  grace  and  truth  among  them; 
ambassadors  of  peace,  who  preached  to  sinners  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  by  the  word  of  reconcili- 
ation, beseeching  them,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be  recon-  " 
ciled  to  God  ;  heralds  at  arms,  lifting  up  their  voices 
as  trumpets,  to  tell  the  house  of  Israel  their  trans- 
gression, and  the  house  of  Judah  their  sins,  and  de- 
claring God's  righteous  judgments  against  the  same. 
This  he  likewise  did  at  his  own  cost,  with  a  cheerful 
and  glad  heart,  honouring  God  with  his  substance,  in 
thus  maintaining  the  Lord's  harvest-men. 

In  these  his  noble  proceedings  Mr  Bruen  was  un- 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


47 


daunted,  tliough  his  care,  cost,  and  labour  of  love, 
were  slighted  by  many,  little  regarded  by  the  vulgar, 
greatly  opposed  by  the  popish  and  profane,  and  too 
much  undervalued  by  all  ;  neither  mocks,  threats, 
nor  slanders,  could  divert  him  from  his  way,  nor 
cause  the  work  of  the  Lord  to  cease  in  his  hands ; 
so  the  word  of  God  grew  mightily  and  prevailed ; 
and,  to  use  his  own  words,  "  Religion  began  to  enter, 
maugre  the  devil  and  his  partakers ;  for  I  was  much 
opposed." 

Reader,  contrast  the  example  of  this  great  man 
with  those  of  too  many  gentlemen  of  the  present  day. 
He  compassionately  and  liberally  provided  spiritual 
food  for  a  thoughtless  multitude,  who  were  willingly 
wandering  in  the  wilderness  of  sin,  as  sheep  w^ithout 
a  shepherd ;  he  rejoiced  exceedingly  to  forward  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  and  went  on  in  his  ways  with 
courage,  constancy,  and  uprightness;  while  others, 
rich  in  worldly  goods,  are  yet  poor,  very  poor,  in 
good  works;  and  would  rather  lay  out  a  hundred 
pounds  in  decorating  their  own  houses,  than  bestow 
so  many  pence  towards  building  the  walls  of  Jeru- 
salem. He  herein  differed  very  much  from  many, 
that  are  entrusted  with  lands  and  livings^  for  main- 
taining the  ministry,  and  so  providing  spiritual  things 
for  the  people ;  but  who,  on  the  contrary,  turn  their 
patronage  into  pillage,  and  their  devotion  into  sacri- 
lege, cutting  short  the  minister  of  his  due,  and  the 
people  of  their  food. 


4S  LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEX,  ESQ. 

About  the  Tear,1590,  Mr.  Bruen  pro^"idecl  the 
public  congregation  with  a  worthy  preacher,  who, 
though  he  appeared  to  be  much  admired  by  them 
for  his  gifts,  was  hardly  thanked  for  liis  pains ;  inso- 
much that  the  minister  grew  uu'SN'illing  to  bestow 
his  labours  among  them  any  longer ;  on  which  Mr. 
Bruen  in  policy  withdrew  him  to  his  own  house,  in 
order  to  make  them  more  sensible  of  his  value.  He 
on  this  occasion  erected  a  pulpit  in  a  chapel  which 
he  had  at  his  house,  and  for  a  season  maintained  the 
preacher  there. 

This  no  doubt  was  much  to  his  cost  as  well  as  to 
his  comfort :  for,  though  some  would  come  to  the 
chapel  with  good  minds,  to  have  their  souls  fed  with 
the  bread  of  life  ;  yet  others  would  be  as  ready  to 
press  into  the  hall,  to  fill  their  bellies. 

But  he  could  not  long  confine  the  word  to  his  o^  n 
family  :  common  necessity,  and  the  importunity  of 
some  Christian  friends,  prevailed  on  him  to  give  up 
the  preacher  to  the  public  assembly  again :  however^ 
he  both  maintained  him,  and  others  his  successors, 
till  the  death  of  the  incumbent ;  when  God  estab- 
lished a  faithful  preacher  among  them. 

The  minister  first  above  mentioned  being  invited 
to  a  wedding  at  the  Peile,  he  preached  in  the  parlour 
there,  and  was  greatly  admired  of  his  hearers. 
"  Then  it  was  objected  against  me,"  says  r.  Bruen, 
that  I  had  committed  a  great  sin.  in  keeping  such 
a  worthy  preacher  from  the  great  congregation :  to 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


49 


which  I  answered,  that  none  requested  it,  nor  gave 
him  thanks  when  I  brought  him ;  therefore  he  was 
unwilling  to  come  amongst  them.  But  I  was  glad 
to  bring  the  "word  of  God  again  unto  them  ;  and  it 
has  continued  till  now  that  God  hath  planted  Mr, 
Clark  amongst  us." 

It  may  not  be  impertb^o'it  ]-ere  to  produce  the 
testimony  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Clark  in  favor  of  Mr. 
Bruen  :  says  he,  "  Mr.  Bruen  was  the  chief  instru- 
ment in  planting  and  establishing  the  Gospel  in  this 
congregation :  first,  by  providing  divers  of  God's 
ministers  to  preach  here  often,  when  the  incumbent 
was  grown  old  an  J  decrepid  ;  afterwards  by  main- 
taining a  preacher  at  his  own  cost  ;  and,  lastly,  hy 
being  the  means  of  obtaining  the  place  for  me  in  re- 
version, allowing  me  the  greatest  part  of  my  main- 
tenance. So  that  this  parish  hath  cause  for  ever  to 
acknowledge  him  a  nursing  father  of  religion  amongst 
them,  and  a  blessed  instrument  in  bringing  in  the 
light  of  the  Gospel,  when  the  people  sat  in  darkness 
and  the  shadow  of  death." 

Being  much  stirred  in  his  spirit  against  the  vain 
amusements  called  wakes^  and  vigils^  practised  and 
kept  in  honor  of  certain  popish  saints,  with  riot  and 
excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  dancing,  gaming^  &c., 
Mr.  Bruen,  in  order  to  put  a  stop  to  such  vanities, 
in  Tarvin,  set  up  the  ark  of  God,  with  great  pomp 
and  power,  when  the  people  were  engaged  in  these 
matters  ;  whereby  their  Dagon  was  finally  brake  into 
3 


60 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


pieces.  "  Against  St.  Andrew's  day,"  saith  he, 
"  (which  is  the  time  of  Tarvin  wake)  and  the  week 
following,  I  observed,  for  several  years  together,  to 
invite  two  or  three  of  the  best  affected  preachers  in 
the  diocese,  who  spent  the  greatest  part  of  three  days 
in  preaching  and  praying  in  the  church  ;  insomuch 
that  the  pipers  and  fiddlers,  bear- wards,  players,  and 
gamesters,  had  no  time  left  for  their  vanities,  but 
went  away  with  great  fretting  ;  and  yet  multitudes 
of  well  affected  people  filled  the  town  and  church, 
and  that  with  much  rejoicing,  blessed  be  God."* 

At  these  times  he  had  a  beef  and  a  half  made 
use  of  in  his  house,  in  refreshing  the  bodies  of  reli- 
gious persons. — So  great  was  his  love  to  God  and 
his  saints  that,  in  comparison  therewith,  all  other 
things  were  esteemed  as  loss,  and  dross,  and  dung. 
— How  truly  might  he  say,"  with  David,  "  Away 
from  me,  all  ye  Avorkers  of  iniquity  ;  I  will  keep  the 
commandments  of  my  God.  I  hate  all  vain  inven- 
tions ;  but  thy  law  do  I  love.  All  my  delight  is  in 
the  saints,  and  in  such  as  excel  in  virtue.  I  was 
glad  when  they  said  unto  me.  Let  us  go  up  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord  ;  our  feet  shall  stand  in  thy  gates, 
0  Jerusalem !" 

As  to  Tarvin  wake,  Mr.  Bruen  imitated  the  ex- 
ample of  our  Lord,  who  at  the  feast  of  the  dedication 
took  occasion  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom 

*  It  is  remarkable,  that  there  Las  not  been  a  wake  held  at 
Tarvin,  from  the  time  here  alluded  to,  to  the  present  period  ;  1799. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


51 


to  such  as  were  collected  together  to  revel  in  carnal 
delights. 

I  mention  these  things,  both  for  the  commendation 
of  this  worthy  gentleman,  and  for  the  provoca- 
tion of  other  persons  of  rank  to  do  all  they  can  to 
suppress  wakes,  and  other  festivals  of  this  kind,  the 
celebration  of  which  is  so  far  from  having  the  war- 
rant of  God's  word,  that,  on  the  contrary,  they  are 
themselves  the  bastard  brood  of  the  man  of  sin. 
Without  doubt,  such  service,  in  commemoration  of 
departed  saints,  is  no  other  than  idolatry,  hateful  to 
God,  and  hurtful  to  men.  Indeed,  the  names  of 
some  saints  have  been  inserted  in  popish  calendars 
for  celebration,  who  either  never  had  any  existence 
at  all,  as  St.  Christopher,  St.  George,  St.  Catharine, 
&c.,  or  who  would  have  fared  better  had  they  never 
had  any,  as  Boniface  the  idol  saint  of  Banbury,  or 
Dominic  the  bloody  persecutor  of  the  flock  of  Christ ; 
or  such  as  were  not  much  better  for  their  conversa- 
tion than  beasts,  as  Medardus,  and  Lubinus,  who 
are  adored  as  saints  in  these  festivals  and  wakes, 
though  'tis  to  be  feared  their  souls  are  frying  in  hell. 

Having  thus  planted  and  watered  his  own  family, 
and  so  well  provided  for  the  public  assembly,  Mr. 
Bruen  was  greatly  admired  for  his  sincerity  as  well 
as  for  his  fervency  in  the  profession  of  religion. 
His  name,  being  perfumed  with  a  gTcat  variety  of 
graces,  sent  forth  a  most  fragrant  smell  and  savour 
into  all  the  families  of  the  country  round  about'; 


52 


LIFE  OF  JOHJT  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


SO  that  several  gentlemen  of  rank  became  desirous 
of  sojourning  under  his  roof,  for  their  better  infor- 
mation in  the  way  of  God,  and  the  more  effectual 
reclaiming  of  themselves  and  their  families. 

That  worthy  Knight,  Sir  Richard  Grosvenor, 
Bart.,  when  young,  was  by  liis  j)arents  placed  in 
this  family ;  in  which  he  abode  three  years,  and  was 
trained  and  nurtured  in  the  knowleda^e  and  fear  of 
God. — The  seeds  then  sown  in  his  heart  are  now 
bringing  forth  fruit,  both  in  his  person  and  calling  ; 
of  which  we  have  seen  a  fair  increase  already. 

About  the  same  time  also  came  Mr.  Hardware,  of 
the  Peile,  with  all  his  family,  and  dwelt  under  this 
blessed  roof 

At  first  he  could  not  bear  wholesome  reproof  ( in 
which  Mr.  Bruen  was  very  full  and  free  )  any  more 
than  sore  eyes  can  endure  the  sun;  whicb  this  faith- 
ful servant  of  the  Lord  observing,  and  knowing  that 
the  patient  must  be  very  sick  who  is  impatient  of 
the  means  which  might  effect  his  cure,  he  cast  about 
how  he  might  deal  with  him  so  as  to  be  of  use : 
how  he  succeeded  herein,  let  his  own  words  de- 
clare : 

"  I  remember  my  brother  Hardware,  when  he 
was  a  tabler  witb  us,  at  first  would  not  be  reproved ; 
but  after  a  Avhile,  having  the  141st  Psalm  for  our 
evening  exercise,  divers  of  our  family,  who  usually 
gave  notes  on  the  Scripture,  concluded  that  each 
should  speak  of  the  5th  verse,  '  Let  the  righteous 


LIFE  OF  JOHN"  BRUEN,  ESQ.  58 

reprove  me,'  &c.  I  spoke  last.  After  this  time  he 
never  resisted  any  more." 

He  afterwards  gave  a  better  testimony  concerning 
Mr.  Hardware  and  his  family,  under  his  own  hand ; 

"  It  pleased  God,"  saith  he,  "  so  to  work  upon  his 
and  their  minds,  that  they  went  home  with  new 
hearts,  converted  to  God,  and  professed  religion  in 
holy  sincerity  till  their  death.  My  brother,  the  first 
evening  he  came  home  to  the  Peile,  set  up  religion 
in  his  family  with  great  power  and  comfort ;  singing 
psalms,  reading  the  Scriptures,  praying,  and  cate- 
chizing ;  which  being  ended,  his  wife  ran  to  him  and 
kissed  him,  saying,  '  O  husband  !  I  thank  God,  and 
bless  his  name,  that  ever  you  came  to  Stapleford  !' 
Afterwards  being  Mayor  of  Chester,  he  that  year 
shewed  his  religion  very  graciously  in  his  govern- 
ment.   All  praise  to  God." 

Thus  he  took  into  his  house  some  out  of  other 
families,  that  were  as  rough  stones  from  a  quarry  ; 
whom  he,  by  God's  blessing,  squared,  smoothed,  and 
polished,  for  the  building  of  the  Lord's  temple. 

Mr.  Bruen  was  not  only  studious  to  improve  him- 
self and  others  in  religion  at  home  ;  but  he  was  wont 
to  frequent  certain  religious  assemblies,  both  in 
Cheshire  and  Lancashire,  which  were  held  monthly 
for  holy  exercises  ;  on  Avhich  occasions  he  sometimes 
had  to  take  long  and  sore  journies,  with  much  toil 
and  cost,  that  he  might  be  present  where  he  knew 
manna  would  be  rained  down  from  Heaven,  where 


64 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


he  might  glean  after  the  Lord's  reapers,  and  where 
he  might  buy  gold  and  white  raiment,  wine  and 
milk,  without  money,  and  without  price. 

At  these  times  he  usually  took  down  in  writing 
the  substance  of  such  notes,  observations,  and  ser- 
mons, as  he  heard ;  which  he  would  repeat  to  such 
religious  persons  as  accompanied  him  in  his  journies, 
for  their  spiritual  refreshment.  These  things,  when 
come  home,  he  wrote  out  fairly,  for  the  use  of  him- 
self, his  friends,  and  posterity.* 

He  continued  the  practice  of  writing  and  copying 
what  he  heard  of  sermons,  lectures,  &c.  about  thirty- 
six  years,  leaving  behind  him  an  incredible  number 
of  manuscript  volumes,  which  he  carefully  com- 
mended to  the  heirs  of  his  body,  requesting  that  the 
same  might  be  read  by  them  at  least  once  in  their 
lives  respectively. 

His  kindness  to  God's  ministers,  at  the  above 
meetings,  was  wonderful ;  rejoicing  with  them,  often 
defraying  their  charges,  encouraging,  comforting, 
counselling,  admonishing,  gently  reproving,  and 
sometimes  inviting  them  to  his  house. 

How  well  would  it  be  if  gentlemen,  and  others  of 
inferior  rank,  in  imitation  of  this  worthy  pattern, 
would  for  holy  and  happy  religious  duties  exchange 
their  vain  and  profane  exercises  of  May-games  and 
smnmer-greens,  foot  and  horse  races,  weekly  and 
almost  daily  meetings  and  matches  on  the  bowling 

*Harleian  MSS.  Number  2006. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ.  65 

green,  lavish  betting  of  great  wagers  in  sucli  sorry 
trifles,  and  the  stout  and  strong  abetting  of  such  silly 
vanities,  amongst  hundreds,  and  sometimes  thou- 
sands of  rude  and  vile  persons,  to  whom  they  should 
give  better  examples,  than  encourage  them  to  neg- 
lect their  business,  waste  their  substance,  brawl  and 
quarrel,  cnrse  and  swear! — O  how  great  is  the  dif- 
ference between  the  holy  exercises  of  religion,  in 
God's  house,  and  these  profane  exercises  of  lust,  in 
the  forest  or  field  ! 

In  the  midst  of  the  sweet  comforts  which  he  ex- 
perienced in  the  public  and  private  exercise  of  reli- 
gion, the  Lord  was  pleased  to  visit  this  his  servant 
with  a  grievous  affliction,  by  cutting  off  with  a  stroke 
the  desire  of  his  eyes,  his  dear  and  faithful  wife; 
who,  although  well  in  the  morning,  was  taken  ill  at 
supper,  and  departed  this  life  the  same  evening. 

Though  sudden  death  has  frequently  been  a  si^n 
of  God's  displeasure,  as  in  the  cases  of  Onan,  Nadab 
and  Abihu,  Corah,  Dathan  and  Abiram  ;  yet  it  has 
not  always  been  a  token  of  God's  disapprobation : 
for  instance,  good  Joshua  was  slain  by  an  arrow, 
Eachael  died  on  a  journey,  a^d  Phineas's  wife  ex- 
pired suddenly  on  hearing  that  the  ark  of  God  was 
taken.  Hence  let  no  one  rashly  judge,  that,  because 
the  messenger  which  fetched  her  home  was  hasty, 
therefore  Mrs.  Bruen  was  not  a  gracious  and  holy 
woman. 

This  was  a  severe  trial  to  Mr.  Bruen;  yet  the 


56 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


Lord  so  sanctified  the  affliction,  that,  by  the  power 
of  divine  grace,  he  moderated  his  grief  in  such  a 
manner  as  not  to  weep  like  a  man  Avithout  hope, 
though  he  mourned  for  her  death,  as  truly  sensible 
of  his  loss. 

After  a  while,  finding  it  necessary  again  to  marry, 
he  sought  another  help-meet  from  the  Lord  by  prayer. 
God  in  his  providence  granted  his  request,  in  the 
following  manner  : 

Being  at  Manchester,  on  account  of  a  religious 
meeting  held  there,  he  cast  his  eye  on  a  very  amia- 
ble and  beautiful  young  gentlewoman,  who  dili- 
gently frequented  that  assembly  ;  on  the  beholding 
of  whom,  he  confesseth  that  this  thought  arose  in 
his  heart :  "  Lo  !  this  is  the  woman  that  the  Lord 
hath  provided  for  me." 

In  order  that  he  might  not,  however,  please  his 
eye  and  affections  merely,  he  acquainted  one  of  his 
most  trusty  servants  with  the  matter,  and  desired  he 
would  make  inquiry  concerning  the  person  in  ques- 
tion. The  man,  being  a  native  of  the  country,  was 
the  better  able  to  accomplish  his  master's  wish ;  and 
he  so  furnished  hims(^f  with  information  concerning 
her,  as  to  give  an  account  to  this  effect,  namely,  that 
her  name  was  Mrs.  Ann  Fox,  sister  to  Mr.  Fox  of 
the  Ehodes,  four  or  five  miles  from  Manchester ; 
that  she  was  well  descended  both  by  father  and 
mother ;  her  father  having  filled  the  place  of  comp- 
troller to  the  Earl  of  Derby,  when  ambassador  from 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


67 


the  Queen  in  France,  and  her  mother  being  a  godly 
matron,  a  descendant  of  the  ancient  and  respectable 
families  of  the  Addertons  and  the  Lelands,  of  Lan- 
cashire ;  and  that  she  herself  was  a  virtuous  and 
gracious  young  woman,  well  esteemed  in  the  church 
of  God. 

On  this  intelligence,  Mr.  Bruen  embraced  the  first 
opportunity  to  propose  to  her  mother  and  friends  a 
marriage  between  him  and  Mrs.  Ann  Fox ;  which 
being  approved  by  them,  he  became  her  suitor;  and 
by  his  gracious  ^discourse  and  godly  carriage  pre- 
vailing, they  were  happily  united  in  holy  matrimony. 

The  first  year  of  his  second  marriage,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bruen  abode  in  her  mother's  house ;  where  he 
and  old  Mr.  Langley,  a  godly  minister  of  Christ, 
were  so  eminently  useful,  that  frequently  after,  and 
even  at  his  death,  he  was  enraptured  with  joy  and 
thanksgiving  at  the  thoughts  of  the  same. 

He  left  the  following  testimony  concerning  the 
goodness  of  God  manifested  at  this  time  : 

"  My  mother-in-law  giving  me  table  for  a  year, 
we  set  up  the  exercise  of  religion  in  the  house  ;  in 
the  course  of  which  time,  I  trust,  she  got  saving 
grace ;  as  well  as  my  sister-in-lavv^  ( now  Mrs.  Hinde) 
another  half-sister  of  hers,  their  brothers  William 
and  Thomas  Fox,  a  servant  or  two,  and  some  neigh, 
hours  who  joined  with  us  in  the  evenings.  Blessed 
be  God,  who  is  pleased  by  weak  means  to  express 
his  great  power  and  mercy  towards  us  !" 
3* 


58 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


At  the  expiration  of  the  year,  he  brought  his  wife 
to  Stapleford ;  where  they  enjoyed  each  other's  com- 
pany in  great  peace  and  love,  and  established  them- 
selves in  the  nsual  exercise  of  religious  and  do- 
mestic duties. 

In  the  course  of  some  time,  several  gentlemen  of 
rank  applied  to  him,  some  for  themselves,  some  for 
their  children,  and  others  for  their  friends,  to 
sojourn  in  his  house,  as  was  the  case  before  ;  his 
habitation  being  still  more  famous  than  ever,  as  a 
school  of  true  religion,  a  nursery  for  the  plants 
of  grace,  a  vineyard  for  trees  of  righteousnes  and 
fruits  of  holiness. 

Among  the  rest  was  that  worthily  honored  and 
accomplished  gentleman,  Thomas  Wilbraham,  of 
Woodhey,  Esq.,  the  beauty  and  glory  of  that  house, 
and  a  peerless  pillar  of  the  country  ;  who,  having 
married  his  eldest  daughter  to  Mr.  John  Done,  heir 
of  the  house  of  Utkinton  (a  young  gentleman  of 
high  birth  and  good  parts,  but  much  addicted  to 
the  pleasures  of  the  world  and  j^outhful  lusts) 
became  very  desirous  that  the  young  couple  should 
dwell  in  Mr.  Braen's  house  for  a  season,  that  they 
might  be  more  out  of  the  way  of  evil,  and  obtain 
some  religious  instruction.  The  proposal  was  ac- 
cepted, and  they  were  taken  into  his  house,  with 
their  attendants. 

Mr.  Done  could  not  well  away  with  a  strict  observ- 
ance of  the  Lord's  day  ;  on  which  Mr.  Bruen,  and 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


59 


ten  others  of  his  family,  conspired  together  to  do  him 
good,  speaking  one  after  another  on  sanctifying  the 
sabbath ;  after  which  he  cheerfully  complied. 

At  another  time,  Mr.  Bruen  coming  into  this  gen- 
tleman's chamber  he  found  over  the  mantle-tree  a 
deck  of  new  cards  ;  from  which  he  took  the  four 
knaves,  and  burnt  them ;  and  he  never  knew  him 
to  play  cards  in  the  house  afterwards. 

This  last  circumstance  brought  to  Mr.  Bruen's 
recollection,  that,  about  twenty  years  before,  being 
in  one  of  his  studies,  he  saw  a  pair  of  tables  under 
his  feet;  which  he  took  up,  with  the  thirty  men, 
and  all  the  dice  and  cards  he  could  find,  and  put 
them  into  a  burning  oven,  that  was  then  heating  to 
bake  pies ;  so  great  was  his  aversion  against  gaming. 

This  he  did,  no  doubt,  not  to  honor  them  as  mar- 
tyrs, but  to  punish  them  as  malefactors;  for  I  find, 
by  some  of  his  collections,  that  he  held  tables,  cards, 
and  dice,  to  be  very  gross  offenders,  and  such  as 
could  not  have  their  faults  purged  away  but  by 
fire. 

Herein  he  agreed  with  several  of  the  ancient 
fathers,  and  others  who  have  written  on  the  sub- 
ject: as,  Tertuliian,  who  smote  them  with  a  rod  of 
rebuke  in  general  terms;  Cyprian,  who  struck  them 
through  as  with  the  blow  of  a  scorpion,  writing  a 
whole  book  against  them  in  particular;  Austin  and 
Jerome,  who  did  not  spare  them  as  they  came  in 


60 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


their  way;  Chrysostom,  who  cut  and  hewed  them 
to  pieces,  with  other  heathenish  games,  as  Samuel 
did  Agag,  and  ground  them  to  powder,  as  Moses 
did  the  golden  calf;  Ambrose  and  Hilary,  who 
advised  Christians  to  turn  away  their  eyes  from 
beholding  such  worldly  and  ungodly  vanities ;  Gre- 
gory Nazianzen,  who  sharply  rebuked  such  as 
would  seem  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  Christ's  nativ- 
ity, and  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  with  the  like  heathen- 
ish customs,  sports,  and  games;  together  with  Lac- 
tantius,  Arnobius,  Bernard,  Basil,  Bede,  Cassidore, 
Isidore,  Furgentius,  Salvianus,  Cyril,  and  Oecume- 
nius ;  which  last  mentioned  farther  took  occasion  to 
reprobate  dicing  in  particular,  from  the  word  that 
the  Apostle  useth  against  crafty  and  deceitful  teach- 
ing [kubeia]  which  he  says  is  taken  from  the  play  at 
dice,  the  property  whereof  is,  by  casting  and  hurl- 
ing here  and  there,  to  deceive  by  false  dealing. 

We  shall  conclude  this  point  with  a  few  observa- 
tions which  Mr.  Bruen  collected,  to  strengthen  his 
judgment,  and  justify  his  detestation  of  these  games: 
"1.  All  games  depending  upon  hazard  or  chance 
(as  many  call  it)  are  to  be  eschew^ed. 

"2.  The  prince  of  devils  first  invented  the  same, 
and  the  place  was  hell. 

"3.  Such  gamesters  were  accounted  infamous 
persons,  incapable  of  holding  any  office,  and  unwor- 
thy any  benefit  of  law. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 


61 


"4.  Dicers,  harlots,  and  thieves,  are  of  one  cor- 
poration ;  and  the  more  cunning  in  this  art,  the 
more  wicked  in  their  lives  and  manners. 

^'5.  All  gain  by  gaming  is  plain  thievery,  worse 
than  usury. 

"6.  All  play  at  dice  is  plain  lottery,  which  to 
use  idly  or  triflingly  is  a  sin  against  the  third  and 
ninth  commandments. 

"7.  There  is  no  recreation  of  body  or  mind  in 
these  games,  unless  it  be  in  the  desire  and  hope  of 
gain  by  another  man's  loss,  which  is  unlawful. 

''8.  Cards  and  tables  seem  to  be  less  evils;  but 
neither  of  them  barrel  better  herrings ;  there  is  such 
and  so  much  craft  in  pricking,  packing,  &c. 

"  9.  These  are  mixt  games,  consisting  partly  of 
lottery,  partly  of  wit  and  industry,  and  oftentimes 
maintained  with  tricks  of  cozenage  and  knavery. 

"10.  The  coat  cards  were  in  times  past  the  images 
of  their  idols. 

"11.  We  must  abstain  from  such  games,  because, 
1.  They  never  have  been,  nor  yet  are,  of  good 
report  in  the  church;  2.  In  them  there  is  great 
appearance  of  evil ;  3.  The  command  of  the  chief 
magistrate  forbiddeth  them,  as  unlawful  games; 
4.  They  do  not  tend  to  Grod's  glory ;  5.  They  ar3 
causes  of  much  hurt  to  our  neighbour,  and  occasions 
of  many  sins  and  sorrows  to  the  gamester  himself, 
as  well  as  to  his  family ;  for  thus  many  bring  a  cas- 
tle into  a  cap-case,  a  lordship  into  a  cottage,  a  fee 


62 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


simple  into  a  fee  single,  an  estate  of  abundance  and 
superfluity  to  an  estate  of  beggary  and  misery." 

In  order  to  prevent  the  mischiefs  consequent  on 
making  use  of  these  things  (which  were  by  him 
held  in  abhorrence)  and  to  exercise  the  minds  of  his 
family  and  others  unto  godhness,  he  had  two  goodly 
Bibles,  each  placed  on  a  desk  in  the  parlour  and 
hall,  a  large  one  in  the  former  place,  and  a  smaller 
one  in  the  latter.  A  good  method  this,  to  cut  off  all 
occasions  of  evil,  and  open  a  way  to  better  things ! 

However,  Mr.  Bruen  entertained  a  good  hope 
concerning  Mr.  Done,  as  well  as  his  spouse ;  believ- 
ing that  she  obtained  saving  grace,  and  expecting 
the  stamp  of  God's  grace  upon  him,  he  being  con- 
vinced in  judgment. — His  eldest  son,  four  daughters, 
and  a  daughter-in-law,  also  became  pious.  Mr. 
Done  was  afterwards  knighted. 

There  again  hapjDening  a  defect  in  the  public 
ministry  at  Tarvin,  Mr.  Bruen  procured  for  the 
great  congregation  that  faithful  servant  of  Christ, 
Mr.  Ar.  St.  (a  preacher  in  whose  ministry  he 
delighted)  and  maintained  him  and  his  family. 

The  following  is  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Ar.  St.  in 
behalf  of  Mr.  Bruen:  "Grood  Mr.  Hinde,  I  received 
your  letter;  but  I  know  not  what  to  say  of  that 
worthy  servant  of  God,  Mr.  John  Bruen,  which  you 
do  not  know  already.  I  think  I  may  well  say  of 
him,  as  it  was  said  of  Noah,  that  he  was  a  just  and 
perfect  man  in  his  time,  and  walked  with  God. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ.  63 

Whilst  I  was  preacher  at  Tarvin,  I  had  little  main- 
tenance but  what  I  had  from  him:  and  with  much 
cheerfulness  did  he  minister  both  to  me  and  mine 
that  which  was  sufficient,  affirming  oftentimes,  that 
he  had  not  the  less  for  that  which  we  received  from 
him.  For  other  matters,  I  know  not  what  to  say 
of  him,  that  you  yourself  know  not  as  well  or  better 
than  I:  for  he  was  ever  one  and  the  same,  at  home 
and  abroad ;  very  faithful  unto  God,  and  loving  unto 
men ;  walking  in  the  uprightness  of  his  heart  in  the 
midst  of  his  house.  I  am  glad  that  Grod  has  put  it  into 
your  heart  to  write  something  of  his  life  and  death, 
that  the  memorial  of  his  virtues  may  be  the  better  con- 
tinued, and  the  church  of  God  receive  good  thereby." 

The  above  is  given  by  his  own  preacher,  a  faith- 
ful eye  and  ear  witness  of  the  truth  thereof. 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Perkins,  that  worthy  man 
of  God,  hearing  much  of  Mr.  Bruen  and  his  house, 
by  credible  witnesses,  exclaimed,  "Certainly  this 
is  no  other  than  the  house  of  God,  and  for  the  prac- 
tice and  power  of  religion,  the  very  top-sail  of  all 
England  r 

It  pleased  the  Lord  daily  to  crown  this  gentleman 
and  his  house  with  honour,  favour,  beauty,  and  glory  j 
insomuch  that  his  dwelling  became  not  much  unlike 
a  goodly  tower  built  on  a  hill,  which  doth  allure 
and  invite  the  doves  of  the  valleys  to  take  refresh- 
ment and  repose :  the  number  of  those  of  high  rank 
who  wished  access  to  him  still  increasing,  who  they 


64 


LIFE  OF  JOHX  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


"Were,  and  with  what  success  they  abode  at  his  house, 
let  himself  declare : 

"Afterwards  many  more  desired  to  table  with 
me:  Lady  Egerton.  widow,  daughter-in-law  of  the 
Lord  Chancellor,  then  being  with  her  company; 
and  my  cousin,  Thomas  Dutton.  of  Dutton,  with  his 
wife,  son,  and  daughter  (now  Lady  Gerard)  being 
ten  of  family :  four  gentlewomen  of  Hatton,  sisters^ 
and  a  maid  servant  who  attended  them,  called,  I 
think,  Mary  Sherrington. 

'  God  in  his  mercy  began  first  with  the  last  men- 
tioned female ;  who.  though  she  was  at  first  fi'oward 
against  religious  duties,  yet  afterwards,  being  griev- 
ously afflicted  in  conscience,  and  soundly  humbled, 
had  a  most  comfortable  conversion,  blessed  be  God. 

''Two  of  the  sisters  had  a  more  easy  conversion; 
and  the  other  two,  being  honest,  modest  maids,  were 
convinced. 

My  cousin  Dutton  being  pressed  and  charged  bv 
some  of  great  place  to  maintain  his  royalty  of 
minstrelsy  for  piping  and  dancing  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  I  and  my  family,  together  with  my  minister, 
Mr.  Eobert  Watts  (a  reverend,  worthy  man  of  God, 
whom  we  called  Old  Eli)  were  earnest  against  it, 
and  prevailed  so  far,  that  he  promised  all  piping 
and  dancing  on  tlie  Sabbath  should  cease,  both 
morning  and  afternoon :  so  his  Hcenses  were  made, 
and  so  they  continue  to  this  day.  And  we  had 
great  peace  and  comfort  together,  blessed  be  God." 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


65 


Now  as  it  sometimes  cometh  to  pass,  that  in  a  fair 
calm  there  ariseth  a  sudden  and  violent  storm,  that 
scattereth  vessels  which  have  for  a  long  time  rode 
quietly  in  the  harbour ;  so  did  it  please  the  Lord  to 
send  another  tempest  of  grief  among  the  sweet  en- 
joyments of  this  happy  family,  by  taking  to  him- 
self Mr.  Bruen's  second  wife;  in  consequence  of 
which  the  whole  company  was  dispersed  not  long 
after. 

She  had  lived  with  him  ten  years,  much  beloved 
and  respected  by  those  who  had  the  happiness  of 
,  being  acquainted  with  her,  and  bore  nine  children. 
"  Who  can  find  a  virtuous  woman  ?  for  her  price 
is  far  above  rubies.  The  heart  of  her  husband  doth 
safely  trust  in  her,  so  that  he  shall  have  no  need  of 
spoil.  She  will  do  him  good,  and  not  evil,  all  the 
days  of  her  life.  She  openeth  her  mouth  with  wis- 
dom, and  in  her  tongue  is  the  law  of  kindness.  She 
looketh  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and 
eateth  not  the  bread  of  idleness.  Her  children  arise 
up  and  call  her  blessed ;  her  husband  also,  and  he 
praiseth  her.  Many  daughters  have  done  virtuously  ; 
but  thou  excellest  them  all."  Prov.  xxxi.  10-12, 
26-29. 

Without  fraud  or' flattery,  it  may  be  said,  in  a 
good  measure,  such  a  woman,  such  a  wife,  such  a 
mother,  such  a  governess,  was  this  gentlewoman  in 
her  family.  She  was  also  in  herself  of  a  gracious 
and  amiable  disposition,  having  an  humble  heart, 


66 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEX,  ESQ. 


and  holy  affections,  beautified  and  adorned  with 
that  ornament  of  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart  a 
meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  in  the  sight  of  God  is 
of  great  price.  Eipe  in  knowledge  and  rich  in  grace, 
full  of  faith  and  good  works,  she  held  communion 
with  God  and  the  godly,  in  all  the  duties  of  piety 
and  charity  ;  and  so  continuing  faithful  unto  death, 
she  obtained  what  she  desii'ed  and"  expected,  the 
crown  of  life. 

What  were  the  heavy  consequences  of  this  afflic- 
tion, Mr.  Bruen  himself  has  set  down  in  a  pathetical 
manner : 

"  When  it  pleased  God  to  take  away  my  wife, 
then  all  moui-ned  for  the  loss  ;  as  also  for  that  my 
tablers  must  now  part,  being  about  twenty-one  in 
number,  my  son  John  and  his  being  then  with  me. 
But  on  requesting  it,  they  thankfully  continued  with 
me  another  quarter;  in  which  time  we  had  much 
comfort  together,  but  often  mourned  to  think  of  the 
quarter's  end. — The  last  day  sitting  at  dinner  to- 
gether, we  were  all  so  full  of  heaviness,  that  in  effect 
no  meat  was  eaten.  I  was  forced  to  hide  myself, 
being  unable  to  take  leave  of  them,  all  being  so  full 
of  grief.'' 

"When  David  and  Jonathan  were  parting,  they 
kissed  each  other,  and  wept  till  the  former  exceeded. 
The  case  was  not  very  different  here  ;  when  the 
company  were  about  to  be  separated,  they  kissed, 
and  wept  one  with  another,  till  Mr.  Bruen  exceeded. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


67 


He  now  began  to  frame  his  affections  for  a  single 
life,  and  to  draw  his  family  into  a  narrower  compass, 
resolving  to  live  more  privately,  at  least  for  a  season, 
for  tlie  sake  of  his  relatives. 

After  this  he  continued  unmarried  about  five 
years  and  a  half ;  two  of  which  were  spent  in  his 
own  house  ;  during  which  time  a  godly  friend  came 
to  see  him,  and  inquiring  as  to  his  estate,  he  told  him 
he  owed  about  one  hundred  pounds,  had  four  daugh- 
ters, and  several  sons;  on  which  he  advised  Mr. 
Bruen  to  leave  his  house  for  a  while,  and  go  to 
Chester ;  at  which  place  Mr.  Bifield  *  was  then  a 
pious  and  powerful  preacher  of  the  everlasting 
Gospel.  He  went  thither,  where  he  continued  three 
years,  having  the  company  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bifield 
to  dinner  every  lecture-day,  namely,  "Wednesdays 
and  Fridays. 

During  his  residence  at  Chester,  God  stirred  up 
the  hearts  of  many  neighbours  to  join  with  him  in 
evening  prayer,  and  some  attended  at  morning 
prayer  also. — His  sister  Hardware,  then  a  widow, 
had  a  convenient  way  through  her  garden,  and  con- 
stantly attended  with  her  family,  frequently  ac- 
companied by  several  of  her  many  friends  and 
neighbours. 

These  meetings  did  not  escape  the  tongue  of  slan- 
der, being  traduced  by  some,  and  excepted  against 
by  others  ;  but  the  nature  of  them  being  better 

*  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  1.  p.  273. 


68 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


known,  tliev  were  carried  on  free  from  censure; 
and  tlie  Almighty  blessed  them  to  the  conviction 
and  conversion  of  sinners,  and  to  the  confirmation 
of  saints 

While  at  this  place,  he  paid  all  his  debt,  gave  two 
of  his  daughters  in  marriage,  preferred  one  or  two  of 
his  sons,  and  maintained  the  poor  of  his  own  parish 
in  the  country,  allowing  all  the  produce  of  his  two 
mills  in  Stapleford  for  that  purpose.  Besides  this, 
he  was  not  slack  in  relieving  those  who  craved  alms 
at  his  gates. 

Leaving  Chester,  he  returned  to  his  house  at 
Stapleford. — He  married  again,  taking  to  wife  Mar- 
garet, by  whom  he  had  one  daughter,  and  a  son. 

It  is  observable,  that,  notwithstanding  the  Lord 
was  pleased  several  times  to  exchange  Mr.  Bruen's 
comforts  for  crosses,  jet  himself  was  never  changed, 
nor  moved  from  his  stedfastness.  In  all  his  afiiic 
tions  he  was  willing  to  be  humbled,  but  would  not 
be  dejected  or  discouraged ;  having  learnt,  in  what- 
ever state  he  Avas,  therewith  to  be  content. — "W^her- 
ever  he  was,  his  desires  and  endeavoui^s  were  bent  to 
do  good.  Wherever  he  went,  whatsoever  he  did, 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus  was  with  him,  and 
his  good  hand  was  upon  Inm,  to  prosper  him  in  all 
his  ways,  and  to  strengthen  his  hand  and  heart  in 
well-doing. — In  every  place  he  became  a  nursing 
father  to  the  children  of  God,  as  well  babes  as  young 
men  in  Christ. — Notwithstanding  his  great  expenses, 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


69 


both  at  Chester  and  in  the  country,  in  maintaining 
the  poor,  and  entertaining  the  godly,  his  estate  was 
not  impaired,  but  increased,  the  Lord  enlarging  his 
substance,  as  it  is  written,  ^'  Godliness  is  profitable  for 
all  things,  having  the  promise  both  of  this  life,  and 
of  that  which  is  to  come." — For  all  the  blessings  and 
comforts,  whether  corporeal  or  spiritual,  whether 
received  by  himself,  or  conferred  on  others  through 
him  as  a  means,  his  heart  (tasting  and  relishing  the 
love  of  God  therein)  was  marvelously  enlarged  in 
rendering  thanks  to  his  holy  name,  even  for  the 
least  of  his  mercies. 


Thus  far  has  Mr.  Bruen  assisted  us  to  spin  out  his 
Life  with  his  own  fingers  ;  but  as  the  curious  work- 
manship of  a  cloth  of  arras  is  but  little  seen  while 
in  the  loom,  or  folded  up,  the  beauty  thereof,  the 
knots  and  flowers,  the  pomegranates  and  lilies,  the 
portraits  of  princes  and  great  personages,  being  un- 
discernible  ;  so  the  history  of  this  gentleman's 
Life,  thus  woven  and  wrapped  up  together,  though 
it  contains  many  excellent  things,  cannot  fully  dis- 
play the  glory  of  his  gifts  and  graces,  duties  and 
services;  it  will  therefore  be  necessary  to  take  a 
more  particular  view  of  some  special  passages  of  his 
life  ;  which,  for  a  more  orderly  proceeding  therein, 
may  be  reduced  to  three  general  heads,  namely  : 


70 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


I.  His  conversing  with  God  ; 

II.  His  conversation  in  the  ivorld  ;  and, 
m.        dejjarture  out  of  the  icorld. 

I.  His  conversing  with  God. 

"When  the  Lord  called  Mr.  Bruen  out  to  work  in 
raising  up  a  spiritual  temple,  as  well  in  himself  as 
others,  he  in  a  great  measure  filled  him  with  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  wisdom  ;  so  that  he  was  enabled 
to  work  either  upon  gold  and  silver  (which  may  be 
compared  to  persons  of  rank)  or  brass  and  timber 
(Avhich  may  resemble  those  of  lower  condition  ;)  and 
as  he  gave  him  wisdom  and  grace,  so  did  he 
endue  him  with  fortitude  and  strength  to  manage 
the  Christian  life,  and  to  fight  valiantly  under  the 
banner  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  breaking  through  all 
difiiculties  that  might  stand  in  the  way  of  his  duty. 

Having  found  acceptance  with  God,  and  tasted 
the  sweetness  of  true  religion,  he  laboured  to  main- 
tain communion  with  God  in  Christ,  by  a  conscien- 
tious performance  of  four  particular  duties,  daily, 
viz. 

I.  Meditation; 

n.  Observation  of  the  Lord's  ways  and  works, 
mercies  and  judginents; 

III.  Invocation  of  God's  name  in  prayer,  and 
praise  for  blessings  received; 

lY.  Imitation  of  his  heavenly  Father. 


LIFE  OF 'JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


71 


I.  Meditation. 

As  Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  David, 
Hezekiah,  Paul,  and  many  others,  walked  with. 
God,  kept  their  hearts  in  his  presence,  sought  the 
light  of  his  countenance,  studied  his  word,  and  con- 
sidered his  works ;  so  did  he,  every  day,  more  or  less, 
set  his  head  and  heart  a  Avork,  by  serious  medita- 
tion, to  draw  nearer  to  God,  to  grow  in  knowledge, 
grace,  and  spiritual  strength.  This  he  knew  was 
the  mark  and  character  of  a  blessed  man — to  delight 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  therein  to  meditate  day 
and  night. 

As  a  help  to  this  duty,  he  usually  carried  with 
him  some  part  of  the  Bible,  or  his  sermon  note- 
book, when  in  the  fields  or  on  a  journey.  When 
within  doors,  he  gave  himself  much  to  reading  the 
word,  making  collections  of  promises,  precepts,  com- 
forts^ mercies,  judgments,  marks  of  God's  children, 
brands  of  wicked  men,  &c.  He  likewise  diligently 
perused  the  works  of  divers  learned  and  godly  men, 
and  kept  a  commonplace  book  of  what  he  found 
worthy  observation  therein. 

The  gain  which  he  got  by  this  holy  exercise  was, 
an  increase  of  godliness ;  and  godliness,  we  know,  is 
great  gain. 

By  this  means  many  noisome  lusts,  that,  like 
caterpillars  or  canker-worms,  are  Avont  to  breed  in 
the  best  trees,  were  destroyed;  and  many  unsavory 
thoughts  dislodged:  in  short,  he  herein  enjoyed 
heaven  upon  earth. 


72 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRIPEN,  ESQ. 


II.  Observation  of  the  Lord's  ways  and  works^  mer- 
cies and  judgments. 

It  was  the  ancient  profession  and  practice  of  the 
people  of  God  to  wait  upon  the  Lord,  and  observe 
his  dealings  with  the  just  and  with  the  wicked. 
[See  Isaiah  xxvi.  7 — 10.] 

Much  in  the  same  manner  did  this  faithful  ser- 
vant of  Christ  raise  his  thoughts  and  quicken  his 
soul  to  a  due  observation  of  the  ways  and  works  of 
God,  both  as  to  his  mercies  towards  the  godly,  and 
his  judgments  against  sinners. 

The  following  instances,  among  others,  he  has 
left  upon  record : 

"A  few  years  before  my  brother  Hardware  died, 
he  had  K.  K.  in  his  service,  who  is  now  an  inn- 
holder  in  Chester.  The  said  R.  K.  was,  as  many 
thought,  bewitched,  and  waxed  weaker  and  weaker. 
My  brother  sent  for  me  and  my  family  to  spend  a 
day  with  him  in  fasting  and  prayer.  Good  Mr. 
Watts  the  preacher  was  then  with  me,  and  accom- 
panied me  and  others  of  my  family  to  the  Peile.  We 
found  R.  K.  exceedingly  sick  and  weak,  like  an 
anatomy,  nothing  to  look  at  but  skin  and  bones, 
and  not  likely  to  live  a  day,  all  hope  of  life  being 
gone.  He  was  brought  and  laid  in  a  bed  in  the 
chamber  where  we  prayed.  The  very  same  evening 
he  began  to  amend,  the  next  morning  he  walked 
abroad,  and  the  third  day  he  had  so  recovered  his 
strength  as  to  be  able  to  work,  to  the  great  rejoicing 
of  the  family.    All  laud  and  praise  to  God. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


73 


"  J.?2no  Domini  1601,  in  the  summer  time,  John 
Eobinson,  my  servant,  going  with  his  cart,  laden,  he 
fell,  and  the  wheel  went  over  his  leg,  but  did  not 
hurt  him  at  all.    Laus  Deo. 

^^Anno  Domini  1602,  in  July,  my  son  John,  being 
in  Peak's-moor,  took  up  a  scythe,  to  try  how  he 
could  mow ;  when  it  entered  his  stocking  upon  the 
shin-bone,  and  following  his  leg,  shaved  the  hair,  and 
came  out  at  the  back  part  thereof,  without  touching 
the  skin.    Laus  Deo. 

"The  same  month,  and  in  the  same  meadow,  one 
casting  a  pikel  up  and  down,  before  and  behind 
him,  the  greins  thereof  fell  on  both  sides  of  a  per- 
son's leg  who  stood  behind,  and  did  not  hurt  him. 
Hallelujah. 

"Memorandum.  In  Anno  1613,  in  the  hay  har- 
vest, one  Eichard  Eogers,  that  dwelt  in  my  farm  at 
Wimble  Strafford,  under  Mr.  Thomas  Puleston,  my 
tenant  there,  seeing  two  godly  persons  going  in  the 
way,  said  to  one  who  was  with  him,  Now  I  will  dance, 
and  swagger,  and  swear,  to  anger  and  madden  yonder 
two  Puritans;  and  he  did  so,  to  their  great  griev- 
ance: but  presently  the  revenging  hand  of  God  was 
upon  him ;  this  wicked  fellow  fell  sick,  w^as  carried 
home  in  a  cart,  and  within  three  days  died,  most 
fearfully." 

Mr.  Bruen  likewise  notices  a  most  remarkable 
judgment  inflicted  on  a  poor  boy  at  Northwich, 
whose  name  was  Thomas  Harrison,  his  age  eleven 
or  twelve.  4 


74 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


This  boy  Avas  so  wonderfully  afflicted,  that  many 
deemed  him  to  be  really  possessed  with  a  devil; 
others  thought  he  was  bewitched;  while  some 
ascribed  the  whole  to  natural  causes ;  few  acknowl- 
edging (as  this  gentleman  did)  that,  although  Satan 
might  have  a  finger,  yet  God  had  the  chief  hand  in 
this  judgment. 

Almost  with  a  continuance,  the  boy  shewed  him- 
self to  have  such  extraordinary  strength,  that  if  he 
folded  his  hands  together,  no  man  could  pull  them 
asunder ;  if  he  rolled  his  head,  or  tossed  his  whole 
body,  no  man  could  stay  or  restrain  him.  To  the 
astonishment  of  his  hearers,  he  would  howl  like  a 
dog,  mew  like  a  cat,  roar  like  a  bear,  froth  and  foam 
like  a  boar. 

When  any  prayed  with  him,  his  passions  were  the 
strongest,  and  his  rage  and  violence  the  greatest,  he 
being  ready  to  fly  in  their  faces,  and  to  drown  their 
voices  by  his  clamours,  yells,  and  outcries.  If  one 
came  near  him  with  a  Bible,  though  ever  so  secretly 
concealed,  yet  would  he  run  and  ramp  upon  him 
with  great  violence,  to  get  it  from  him  and  rend  it 
to  pieces,  as  he  did  do  by  several. 

Sometimes  he  would  lie  along,  as  if  quite  dead, 
his  colour  gone,  and  his  mouth  so  wide  open,  that 
on  a  sudden  he  would  thrust  both  hands  into  it  at 
once. 

Notwithstanding  he  was  brought  so  low,  weak, 
and  feeble,  as  to  natural  strength,  that  he  was  reduced, 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


76 


as  it  were,  to  a  mere  skeleton ;  yet  would  lie  sl^ip 
and  leap  up  and  down,  from  his  bed  to  the  table, 
from  the  table  to  the  window,  from  the  window  to 
his  bed  again,  and  all  with  the  agility  of  a  professed 
tumbler;  and,  what  makes  it  more  admirable,  his 
legs  grew  close  to  his  buttocks,  and  were  therefore 
useless  in  these  feats  of  activity. 

Sometimes  his  chin  was  drawn  up  to  his  nose,  so 
that  his  mouth  could  scarcely  be  seen;  at  other 
times,  his  chin  and  forehead  were  drawn  almost 
together,  like  a  bended  bow. 

The  Bishop,  hearing  of  this  wonderful  affliction, 
sent  for  the  child,  and  prayed  with  him ;  on  which 
occasion  he  became  so  outrageous^  that  he  flew  out 
of  bed,  and  affrighted  the  men-servants  so,  that  one 
of  them  fell  into  a  swoon ;  and  there  was  such  a  stir 
about  him,  that  the  Bishop  was  glad  to  lay  hold  of 
the  boy,  ramping  at  the  window  to  have  gotten  out 
that  way.  They  could  not  find  him  a  counterfeit, 
as  some  imagined. 

The  Bishop,  in  compassion  to  the  poor  boy,  granted 
a  licence,  together  with  the  High  Commissioners,  for 
a  private  fast  in  his  father's  house,  as  a  means  to  help 
and  release  him.    The  licence  ran  thus : 

Having  seen  the  bodily  aflfliction  of  this  child,  and  observed  in 
sundry  fits  very  strange  effects  and  operations,  either  proceeding 
from  some  natural,  unknown  causes,  or  of  some  diabolical  prac- 
tices ;  We  think  it  convenient  and  fit,  for  the  ease  and  deliver- 
ance of  the  said  child  from  the  said  grievous  affliction,  that 
prayer  be  made  publicly  for  him  by  the  minister  of  the  parish 


76 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


&c.  and  that  certain  preachers,  namely,  these  following,  Mr. 
Gerrard,  Mr.  Harvey,  Mr.  Pierson,  &c.  these  and  none  other  to 
repair  to  tlie  said  child  by  turns,  as  their  leisure  will  serve,  and 
to  use  their  discretion  for  private  prayers  and  fasting,  for  the  ease 
g^nd  comfort  of  the  afflicted,  &c. 

EIC.  CESTREN. 

DAVID  YALE. 
GRIFFITH  VAUGHAN. 
HUGH  BURCHES. 

Mr.  Bruen  says,  tliat  Mr.  Harvey  and  Mr.  Pier- 
son,  two  godly  preachers,  prayed  and  fasted  with 
the  boy,  as  well  as  himself,  and  twenty  or  thirty 
other  persons:  but  the  Lord  gave  no  deliverance  at 
that  time. 

The  following  strange  speeches  of  this  af&icted 
boy,  which  he  uttered  when  in  his  fits,  without  any 
knowledge  of  what  he  either  said  or  did,  were  taken 
from  his  mouth  by  faithful  witnesses : 

"  Jesus  saith,  The  devil,  when  he  comes,  takes  away  my  hear- 
ing, seeing,  understanding,  hands,  legs,  that  I  should  have  no 
senses,  nor  limbs,  to  glorify  God  withal. 

"  Jesus  saith,  If  they  would  have  cast  out  the  evil  spirit,  they 
should  have  come  better  provided. 

"Jesus  saith,  Some  men  did  think  that  he  that  prayed  had  a 
better  faith  than  the  other ;  but  he  had  not. 

"  Jesus  saith.  I  have  but  three  devils.  It  is  like  one  of  the 
spirits  will  go  out  of  me,  and  go  and  take  counsel  of  a  great  num- 
ber of  foul  spirits,  and  come  again  and  trouble  me  worse. 

"Jesus  saith,  Some  folk  will  say  that  the  witch  will  not  look 
one  in  the  face,  but  she  will  look  here  a  way  and  there  a  way : 
[and  so  he  turned  his  hands  this  way  and  that.] 

"  Jesus  saith,  The  witch  says  she  hath  done  me  no  hurt  that 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BllUEN,  ESQ. 


77 


she  knows  of.  A  witch  may  overlook  a  child ;  but  she  cannot 
make  him  in  such  a  case  as  I  am  in. 

"  The  devil  is  afraid  when  he  hears  any  word  that  he  must  be 
cast  out,  then  he  quakes. 

"  Jesus  saith,  Now  the  witch  would  fain  undo  that  which  she 
hath  done ;  but  now  she  cannot  undo  it. 

Jesus  saith,  Some  say  if  I  were  bewitched  or  possessed,  I 
could  neither  move  my  tongue  nor  my  lips :  but  the  devil  can 
move  both  my  tongue  and  my  lips. 

"  Satan,  I  am  bound  to  a  hard  'prenticeship ;  for  thou  wilt 
not  give  me  leave,  neither  holyday  nor  work-day,  to  eat  a  morsel 
of  bread. 

The  Papist  that  brought  the  stinking  weed  and  laid  it  to  my 
nose,  if  God  had  not  had  a  stroke  in  this,  would  have  cast  out  the 
devil.  And  a  boy  was  confederate  with  him.  Now  the  devil  is 
possessed  of  their  souls ;  and  he  must  continue  a  Uttle  while  with 
me,  but  a  great  while  with  them. 

God  pulls  the  devil  back  with  a  ring  in  his  nose ;  yet  the 
devil  shakes  my  faith  as  if  it  would  go  out  of  me. 

"  They  may  know  there  is  some  ill  thing  in  me ;  for  when  I 
would  say  my  prayers,  he  would  come  up  and  stop  me,  and  then 
I  must  stay  a  little  ;  and  then  again,  and  he  would  stay  me. 

[Being  in  a  sore  fit  of  rage,  biting  his  hands,  gnashing  his 
teeth,  foaming  like  a  boar,  and  casting  blood  and  filth  out  of  his 
mouth,  he  uttered  these  words  :] 

"  Proud  witch,  witch  proud !  I  will  tell  you  how  these  witches 
work  :  all  upon  life,  all  upon  life  ;  but  they  cannot  take  my  life 
from  me. 

*'  Well,  these  drunkards  and  whoremasters  do  not  think  upon 
their  sins :  well,  how  then  ?  There  is  no  drunkard,  that  doth 
drink  one  spoonful  or  drop  of  drink  more  than  doth  suffice  nature, 
but  the  devil  doth  pen  it  down  in  his  book :  well,  it  is  a  great 
book,  and  he  doth  keep  it  close  until  the  day  of  judgment. 

"  And  then  he  will  lay  it  to  their  faces.  At  which  time  the 
hills  will  tremble  and  quake,  and  the  devil  will  quake ;  yea,  he 
doth  quake  for  fear  now. 

"  Well,  some  would  think  it  a  great  while  to  be  bound  with 
the  devil  as  I  am,  a  twelvemonth  or  two  years ;  but  it  is  better 
to  be  so  than  to  wallow  in  drunkenness,  swearing,  and  whoring  ; 
for  the  devil  doth  work  in  their  souls. 

Well,  some  will  say,  how  can  the  devil  lie  in  so  little  a  room  ? 
Well,  the  devil  is  as  the  wind  ;  for  when  he  did  take  a  man  away 


78 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


out  of  a  chamber,  he  came  in  at  a  little  hole.  But  how  did  he 
take  him  away?  even  out  at  the  top  of  the  chimney. 

"  Well,  there  are  some  Papists  and  some  Atheists,  and  some 
of  no  religion.  Woe  be  to  those  that  die  suddenly,  for  they  have 
no  time  to  repent,  and  especially  those  that  live  in  drunkenness, 
or  whoring-,  or  swearing. 

"Jesus  saith.  They  say  he  shall  not  out  of  me,  but  when  God 
comes,  he  will  strike  home." 

What  has  been  said  shall  suffice  concerning  the 
second  duty  which  Mr.  Bruen  performed  daily, 
namely,  a  careful  observation  of  the  Lord's  ways 
and  works,  mercies  and  judgments,  amongst  the 
sons  of  men. 

III.  Invocation  of  God^s  name  in  prayer^  and  praise 
for  blessings  received. 

This  duty  he  endeavoured  to  perform  according 
to  the  apostle's  directions,  "in  every  place  lifting  up 
holy  hands  without  wrath  and  doubting."  He  did 
not  content  himself  with  worshipping  Grod  morning 
and  evening  in  the  family,  without  opening  his 
heart  and  pouring  out  his  soul  in  private  before  the 
Lord. 

His  solitary  devotions  were  not  confined  to  any 
particular  place,  either  within  or  without  doors ;  but 
he  always  embraced  the  fittest  opportunity,  both  as  to 
tim.e  and  place;  following  herein  the  example  of 
Christ  and  many  liol}^  men :  Sometimes  he  might  be 
found  in  the  upper  rooms,  with  Peter;  sometimes 
in  the  fields,  with  Isaac;  sometimes  on  the  mount, 
and  at  other  times  in  the  garden,  with  our  Lord; 


LIFE  OF  JOHN"  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


79 


sometimes  on  a  journey,  with  Jacob;  sometimes  on 
his  bed,  with  David;  sometimes  in  his  closet,  with 
Cornelius.  When  at  home,  he  had  a  variety  of 
places  which  he  interchangeably  used  for  private 
intercourse  with  his  heavenly  Father;  lest,  by  fre- 
quenting any  place  in  particular,  he  should  be  sus- 
pected of  vanity  or  hypocrisy:  If  in  the  house,  he 
had  his  closets,  studies,  chambers,  &c. — if  out  of 
doors,  he  had  his  gardens,  orchards,  arbours,  groves, 
woods,  fields,  walks,  and  shades,  where  he  delighted 
to  hold  communion  with  the  Almighty,  and  to  seek 
his  favour,  which  is  better  than  life. 

He  conscientiously  performed  the  duty  of  private 
prayer  seven  times  a  day,  viz. 

1.  In  the  morning,  before  any  of  the  family  wer^ 
stirring ; 

2.  Before  his  breakfast,  after  family  devotion ; 
8.  Immediately  before  dinner ; 

4.  A  little  after  dinner  ; 

5.  A  short  time  before  supper ; 

6.  ISTot  long  after  supper ; 

7.  Just  before  he  took  his  bed  to  go  to  rest. 

Nor  was  he  more  plentiful  for  the  number,  than 
powerful  in  the  manner,  of  these  his  devotions ;  for, 
being  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  could 
speak  to  Grod  by  his  own  Spirit,  in  his  own  words, 
according  to  his  own  will,  and  in  the  name  of  his 
own  Son  :  and  so  he  could  not  but  both  speak  and 
speed  well. 


80 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BEUEN,  ESQ. 


His  prayers  were  usually  fortified  by  faith,  sup- 
ported by  hope,  inflamed  with  zeal,  beautified  with 
humilit}^,  purified  by  sincerity,  and  established  by 
constancy. 

To  his  private  prayers  he  frequently  added  pri- 
vate fasting;  which  he  observed  with  such  a  degree 
of  austerity,  as  greatly  to  weaken  his  body,  as  well 
as  to  afflict  his  soul. 

It  is  recorded  of  James  the  Just,  that  by  the  con- 
tinual bowing  of  himself  before  the  Lord,  in  earnest 
prayer,  his  knees  became  as  hard  as  those  of  a 
camel.  I  will  not  compare  this  John  with  that 
James,  either  for  sanctity  of  heart,  or  austerity  of 
life ;  but  for  their  affections  and  actions,  prayers 
and  knees,  they  may  well  be  likened  one  to  the 
other. 

In  these  his  private  devotions,  his  desires  were 
principally  bent  to  search  his  own  heart,  to  examine 
his  life,  to  confess  and  bewail  his  special  sins  and  in- 
firmities, to  crave  the  pardon  of  and  power  against 
them.  If  he  found  any  evil  in  his  family,  either 
moral  or  natural,  he  here  brought  it  before  God  to 
procure  the  help  of  his  healing  hand.  Here  also 
he  mourned  for  the  affliction  of  Joseph  and  the 
desolations  of  Jerusalem ;  for  the  gross  sins  of  the 
time,  for  the  barrenness  or  backslidings  of  many 
professors,  for  their  embracing  of  the  world,  and 
forsaking  of  their  first  love. 

Here  also  he  rejoiced  in  the  Lord,  and  praised  his 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


81 


holy  name  for  tlie  many  temporal  and  spiritual  com- 
forts tie  enjoyed,  and  sometimes  for  great  deliveran- 
ces which,  had  been  wrought  out  for  him. 

And  thus  did  he  converse  with  God  in  the  duties 
of  prayer  and  praise. 

TV.  Imitation  of  his  heavenly  Father. 

Knowing  it  is  the  duty  of  all  God's  children  to  be 
holy,  even  as  he  is  holy,  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion. Mr.  Bruen  laboured  to  confirm  himself  to  the 
image  of  Him  that  had  begot  him  to  a  lively  hope 
by  the  resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead ;  he 
panted  after  a  renewal  in  knowledge,  righteousness, 
and  holiness;  well  knowing,  that  the  Christian  is 
called  to  a  resemblance  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  doing 
good  both  to  friends  and  enemies,  and  in  rendering 
evil  to  none  ;  in  being  wise,  patient^  faithful,  hating 
iniquity,  and  delighting  in  the  saints.  Eespecting 
these  things,  he  set  the  Lord  always  before  his  eyes, 
and  in  some  degree  followed  his  blessed  pattern 
with  a  good  conscience  ;  and  so  beholding  with  open 
face,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  he  was 
changed  from  glory  into  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord. 

Thus  have  we  declared  the  first  of  the  three  gen- 
eral heads  proposed,  for  the  further  opening  of  Mr 
Bruen's  virtuous  life,  namely  his  conversing  with  God 
"We  come  now  to, 

II.  His  conversation  in  the  world. 
4* 


82 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


Socrates,  being  asked  what  countryman  he  was, 
replied,  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  world.  This 
venerable  gentleman  was,  by  generation,  a  fellow- 
citizen  with  Socrates ;  but,  by  re-generation,  he  was 
a  denizen  of  the  holy  city,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem. 
Though  he  lived  amongst  the  children  of  a  vain 
world,  yet  his  conversation  was  in  heaven.  He 
greatly  desired  to  follow  the  under-mentioned  rules  ; 

1.  A  holy  resolution  to  use  the  world  as  not  abu- 
sing it,  nor  being  abused  by  it. 

2.  A  full  purpose  always  to  keep  liis  heart  as  in 
God's  presence,  knowing  that  he  heard  all  his  words, 
and  beheld  all  his  actions. 

3.  A  constant  and  conscientious  standing  and 
striving  against  all  sin. 

4.  A  godly  desire  in  every  company  to  do  or 
receive  good. 

5.  A  good  intention  to  deal  justly  with  all  men. 

6.  An  honest  disposition  to  take  doubtful  things 
in  the  best  sense. 

7.  A  careful  watchfulness  over  his  heart,  tongue, 
and  spirit,  that  his  words,  being  powdered  with  salt, 
might  minister  grace,  and  not  grief,  to  the  hearers. 

8.  A  great  willingness  to  be  slow  to  speak,  and 
swift  to  hear. 

9.  An  utter  renouncing  of  all  the  vain  customs 
of  the  world,  neither  following  the  fashions  nor  serv- 
ing the  humours  of  foolish  or  vile  persons,  nor  stay- 
ing longer  than  necessary  in  the  company  of  such. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


83 


10.  A  good  inclination  to  seek  and  follow  peace 
with  all  men,  cutting  off  all  occasions  of  strife  and 
variance  with,  sj^eed. 

11.  A  contented  mind  and  good  courage  in  every 
state,  entertaining  crosses  with  patience,  and  turning 
them  to  their  best  use ;  embracing  all  comforts  with 
thanksgiving,  and  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof. 

12.  An  unfeigned  desire  and  endeavour  to  nour- 
ish his  peace  with  God,  walking  humbly  and 
uprightly  before  him  ;  referring  all  that  he  thought, 
spoke,  or  did,  to  the  furtherance  of  his  own  reckon- 
ing, and  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  his  Maker. 

According  to  these,  and  similar  rules  of  righteous- 
ness and  holiness,  he  was  taught  of  God  to  order  his 
conversation  aright,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

As  an  instance  of  his  peaceable  disposition,  we 
give  the  following  anecdote  :  A  gentleman,  who 
lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Stapleford,  conceiving 
a  dislike  to  Mr.  Bruen  on  a  small  occasion,  sent  his 
servant  with  a  message  forbidding  him  or  any  of  his 
family  to  set  a  foot  on  any  of  his  land.  To  which 
Mr.  Bruen  replied,  that  if  it  pleased  his  master,  or 
any  of  his  family,  to  come  into  his  fields,  or  his 
house^  they  should  be  kindly  welcome.  This  had 
such  an  effect  on  the  gentleman  as  to  melt  him  into 
tears  and  tenderness. 

It  is  true,  he  was  by  nature  fro  ward,  fierce,  angry, 
and  hasty  ;  but,  by  the  renovating  power  of  divine 
grace,  he  was  become  calm  in  temper,  and  mild  in 


84 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


speech,  easily  persuaded  to  that  which  was  good, 
and  Avith  as  great  facility  dissuaded  fi-oin  that  which 
was  evil. 

All  honorable  Judge  in  open  court  gave  the  fol- 
lowing testimony  concerning  him,  when  complaint 
was  made  by  a  neighbouring  gentleman  -  of  some 
wrong  sustained  in  consequence  of  a  water-course 
round  Mr.  Bruen's  mills  : — "  I  cannot  but  think 
you  wrong  Mr.  Bruen  ;  I  will  undertake  for  him, 
make  him  but  sensible  of  any  error,  and  he  will 
both  acknowledge  it,  and  make  you  double  amends." 

To  sum  up  the  excellencies  of  this  gentleman^  he 
was  pure,  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated, 
full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits. 

"When  he  beheld  any  engrossed  in  heathenish 
sports  and  idolatrous  feasts,  he  looked  angry,  and 
spoke  to  them  roughly  ;  yet  he  mourned  for  the 
hardness  of  their  hearts,  and  as  it  were  bled  inward- 
ly for  the  wickedness  of  their  lives. 

If  he  met  with  mockers,  contemners  of  God,  and 
despisers  of  good  things,  he  would  not  cast  pearls 
before  swine,  nor  that  Avhich  was  holy  unto  dogs  ; 
but  he  would  turn  away  his  face  from  such,  without 
even  saluting  them. 

But  if  he  found  any  poor  souls  erring  from  the 
right  way,  yet  desiring  a  guide,  he  would  rejoice  to 
do  him  good,  by  wholesome  instructions,  loving  ad- 
monitions, godly  exhortations,  and  good  directions  ; 
to  such  as  were  poor  giving  Bibles,  catechisms,  and 
other  religious  books. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


85 


His  house  was  like  a  common  inn,  to  such  Israelites 
as  travelled  between  London  and  Ireland,  and  those 
who  came  from  several  parts  of  Lancashire  and 
Cheshire  to  Chester  fairs,  &;c., 

The  table  which  he  ordinarily  kept  for  hospitality 
was  bountiful  and  plentiful,  though  not  excessive 
and  superfluous,  being  furnished  with  a  variety  of 
God's  good  creatures  that  were  always  ready  to  his 
hands. 

His  buttery  was  open  and  free  for  any  gentleman, 
serving-man,  or  countryman,  so  long  as  they  kept 
within  the  bounds  of  moderation  and  sobriety  ;  but, 
indeed,  the  order  of  his  house  was  so  well  known, 
that  excessive  drinking,  quafi&ng,  carousing,  &c., 
were  very  rarely  attempted  there. 

The  necessities  of  the  poor  greatly  afflicted  his 
heart ;  and  as  he  had  a  heart  to  pity,  he  had  a  hand 
ready  to  reheve  them. 

He  usually  filled  the  bellies  of  great  multitudes^ 
both  of  his  own  and  other  parishes,  who  resorted  to 
his  house  twice  a  week  for  that  purpose. 

His  purse  was  the  poor  man's  coffer  ;  and  he 
sometimes  lent  money  to  such,  admonishing  those 
who  borrowed  to  remember  their  promise,  and  to 
pay  again  if  they  would  borrow  again.  But  he 
would  rather  have  forgiven  a  debt,  than  exact  it 
from  such  as  were  willing,  but  unable  to  pay. 

In  a  certain  time  of  great  dearth,  he  invited  the 
poorest  of  his  neighbours  to  his  store-house,  desiring 


86 


LIFE  OF  JOHN"  BRFEX,  ESQ. 


them  to  bring  their  bags  with  them  :  on  which  oc- 
casion he  distributed  among  them  fourteen  bushels  of 
corn.  This  he  did  when  most  of  his  family  were  at 
a  religious  meeting  from  home. 

As  he  was  careful  to  fill  the  belhes.  so  was  he  to 
clothe  the  backs,  of  the  poor  ;  theii*  loins  blessed  him, 
being  warmed  with  the  fleece  of  his  flock,  or  clothed 
by  the  cost  of  his  purse. 

It  was  his  custom,  every  year,  against  winter,  to 
send  foui*  or  five  pounds  to  Chester,  to  provide  cloth- 
ing for  the  poor,  which  he  ^visely  divided  among 
several  famihes,  giving  to  some  one  year,  and  to 
others  another. 

Mr.  Bruen  might  truly  say  with  Job,  I  delivered 
the  poor  that  cried,  and  the  fatherless,  and  him  that 
had  none  to  help  him.  The  blessing  of  him  that 
was  ready  to  perish  came  upon  me  ;  and  I  caused 
the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for  joy.  I  was  eyes  to 
the  blind,  and  feet  was  I  to  the  lame.  I  was  a  father 
to  the  poor;  and  the  cause  which  I  knew  not  I 
searched  out.  And  I  brake  the  jaws  of  the  wicked, 
and  plucked  the  spoil  out  of  his  teeth."  Joh  xxix. 
12,  13,  15,  16,  17. 

To  those  who  had  occasion  for  him  in  that  capa- 
city, he  was  a  counsellor,  to  defend  their  righteous 
and  just  causes,  pleading  for  the  poor  and  the  needy. 

Though  he  abounded  in  the  fiTiits  of  mercy  to- 
wards rich  and  poor,  professors  and  profane  :  yet 
did  he  in  an  especial  manner  show  himself  afiection- 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


87 


ate  and  S3rtnpathetic  towards  the  despised  followers 
of  the  Lord  of  life  and  glor  j. 

He  ever  held  a  gracious  harmony  in  judgment 
with  such  divines  and  professors  as  were  most  sound 
and  entire  in  the  knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of 
the  truth. 

He  esteemed  the  peace  of  Zion,  and  the  prosperity 
of  Jerusalem,  before  his  chief  joy  ;  the  care  of  all  the 
churches  around  lying  continually  upon  him. 

Whenever  he  heard  of  gloomy  tidings  from  Bo- 
hemia, Hungary,  Germany,  &c.,  he  sat  down  and 
wept,  and  mourned  certain  days,  and  fasted  and 
prayed  before  the  God  of  heaven ;  herein  imitating 
good  Nehemiah,  when  he  heard  that  the  remnant  of 
the  Jews  were  in  great  affliction,  that  the  wall  of 
Jerusalem  was  broken  down,  and  the  gates  thereof 
burnt. 

In  visiting  the  afflicted,  in  mind,  body,  or  estate, 
he  was  careful  and  diligent ;  and  he  was  reputed  one 
of  the  best  spiritual  physicians  in  the  country.  If 
any  were  troubled  in  conscience,  afflicted  in  soul  for 
sin,  molested  by  Satan,  or  terrified  by  God's  judg- 
ments, happy  was  he  that  could  have  Mr.  Bruen  to 
come  and  see  him  ;  his  very  presence  afforded  a  de- 
gree of  ease  and  refreshment ;  but  his  godly  exhor- 
tations, wholesome  admonitions,  divine  instructions 
sweet  words  of  comfort,  and  especially  his  faithful 
and  fervent  prayers,  were  many  times  as  so  many 
remedies  against  their  grievous  miseries  and  mala- 


88 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


dies  ;  the  issue  and  success  of  his  gracious  endeav- 
ours being  often  effectual,  either  for  relief  or  release. 

Knowing  that  the  fashions  of  this  world  pass 
away,  with  the  lust  thereof,  he  could  not  be  brought 
into  a  liking  of  the  new  fangled,  vain  and  foolish, 
fashions  and  customs,  as  to  attire,  ridiculous  ges- 
tures, and  formal  compliments  ;  on  the  contrary,  he 
heartily  abhorred  and  shunned  them. — Being  at  a 
High  Sheriff's  feast,  at  which  were  several  Lords  spir- 
itual and  temporal,  a  health  was  begun  by  one  of  them 
to  the  Prince,  which  was  passed  on  with  a  deal  of  cer- 
emonial solemnity.  It  coming  to  his  turn,  he  was 
pressed  to  drink  to  the  Prince's  health  ;  to  which 
he  replied,  "  You  may  drink  to  his  health,  and  I 
wdll  pray  for  it,  wishing  you  may  do  the  same  for 
yours." 

He  was  faithful  in  reproving  sin,  and  would  not 
fail  to  admonish  his  friends,  either  by  word  or  by 
writing. 

The  following  is  an  extract  of  a  letter  directed  to 
a  cousin  of  his,  to  whom  the  Lord  gave  repentance 
two  or  three  years  before  his  death : 

"I  have  often  compared  you,  cousin,  to  Thomas 
Wilbraham,  whom  the  people  of  God  think  to  be  in 
heaven;  for  in  many  things  you  were  like  him; 
but  now  you  are  broken  off,  and  in  many  things 
differ  from  him.  As,  1.  He  loved  the  assembly  of 
God's  people,  on  the  holy  Sabbath,  both  forenoon 
and  afternoon,  though  his  body  was  as  unwieldy  as 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


89 


jours;  wMcli  you  do  not.  2.  He  loved  often  to 
communicate ;  which  you  do  not.  B.  He  loved  to 
have  the  company  of  the  godly  in  his  house ;  which 
you  do  not,  but  rather  glory  to  have  your  house 
made  a  thoroughflire  of  by  profane  persons.  4.  He 
would  have  his  family  publicly  catechized  by  a 
godly  minister;  which  you  will  not.  5.  He  had 
every  day  a  portion  of  holy  Scripture  read,  and 
prayer  morning  and  evening,  and  often  singing  of 
psalms;  which  you  have  not.  6.  He  abandoned 
and  kept  out  of  his  house  all  roguish  players ;  which 
you  do  not.  7.  He  was  usually  at  the  public  exer- 
cises of  religion  at  Tarporley,  and  often  at  North- 
wich ;  which  you  are  not.  8.  He  had  a  liberal  dis- 
position to  relieve  the  godly  in  distress ;  which  you 
have  not.  9.  Although  he  had  the  world  at  will? 
as  you  have,  yet  he  gloried  not  in  it,  but  honored 
God  with  his  substance;  which  you  do  not.  10. 
He  grew  in  knowledge  and  holiness,  with  an  hatred 
of  sin,  and  a  love  to  God's  children ;  which  you  do 
not.  I  fear,  cousin,  you  are  in  a  lethargy,  or  that 
the  alarum-bell  of  your  conscience  is  silenced.  Take 
heed ;  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  grieve  the  Spirit  of 
God;"  &c. 

The  foregoing  is  at  once  a  good  instance  of  his 
testimony  against  sin,  and  an  honorable  evidence  in 
the  behalf  of  Thomas  Wilbraham,  of  Woodhey,  Esq. 

Mr.  Bruen  was  kind  and  tender-hearted  to  his 
tenants.    He  did  not  grind  their  faces  by  great 


90 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


fines,  or  crash  their  backs  with  heavy  rents ;  he  did 
not  use  their  labour  without  hire,  nor  call  for  their 
work  without  wages;  it  was  the  very  joy  of  his 
heart  to  see  his  tenants  thrive  under  him.  His 
behaviour  towards  them  was  like  that  of  Augustus 
towards  his  subjects;  he  would  not  have  any  of 
them  come  before  him  with  fear  and  trembling,  as 
though  they  were  approaching  an  elephant;  nor 
would  he  that  any  should  leave  his  presence  with  a 
sad  heart,  as  though  they  had  been  with  a  tyrant. 

Having  taken  notice  of  Mr.  Bruen's  life,  as  to  his 
conversing  with  God^  and  his  conversation  in  the  world^ 
we  come  now  to  the  last  of  the  three  general  heads 
proposed,  viz.  : 

m.  His  departure  out  of  the  world. 

This  head  may  not  improperly  be  subdivided 
into  four  articles,  namely, 

I.  His  preparation  for  death; 

n.  His  resolution  to  bear  all  afflictions  attendant 
on  his  departure ; 

III.  His  gracious  confidence  of  a  blessed  change ; 

lY.  His  happy  constancy  in  the  faith  of  Christ  to 
the  end. 

I.  His  preparation  for  death. 

As  his  life  was  employed  in  meditating  upon  that 
important  change  which  is  common  to  all  men,  so 
was  he  continually  preparing  for  the  same:  the 
Lord  had  taught  him  so  to  number  his  days  as  to 


LIFE  OF  JOnN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


91 


apply  his  heart  unto  wisdom.  All  his  studies  and 
labours — all  his  holy  duties  and  services — all  his 
prayers  and  tears — all  his  watchings  and  fastings — 
all  his  desires  and  endeavours — were  especially 
directed  to  this  purpose,  namely,  that  he  might  run 
so  as  to  obtain,  fight  so  as  to  overcome,  and  finally 
to  be  more  than  a  conqueror  in  Him  that  loved  him 
and  gave  himself  for  him.  It  was  his  care  to  live 
so  as  that  he  might  not  be  afraid  to  die. 

To  be  more  particular,  he,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
endeavoured  to  set  a  due  estimation  on  the  pleasures, 
profits,  honours,  and  favours  of  the  world ;  and,  instead 
of  delighting  in  these  transitory  things,  to  fix  his 
affections  on  those  that  are  above :  he  considered  his 
bodily  infirmities  as  indications  of  his  departure,  his 
spiritual  rejoicings  as  foretastes  of  everlasting  feli- 
city, and  that  to  the  godly  death  is  the  gate  of  life, 
which  admits  them  into  an  inheritance  free  from  sin, 
sorrow,  temptation,  and  afiiiction,  where  there  are 
rivers  of  eternal  pleasure,  and  a  fallness  of  never- 
ending  joy:  in  short,  he  esteemed  himself  a  stranger 
and  pilgrunon  the  earth,  here  having  no  abiding  city, 
but  seeking  one  to  come. 

II.  His  resolution  to  hear  all  afflictions  attendant  on 
his  departure. 

Being  armed  with  the  whole  panoply  of  God,  he 
had  courage  to  fight  manfully,  under  his  peaceful 
Prince's  banner,   against  temptations,  afflictions, 


92 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


crosses,  and  losses.  If  called  thereunto,  he  would 
have  been  content  to  be  cast  into  a  burning  furnace, 
a  lion's  den,  or  a  caldron  of  boiling  oil,  for  his  Lord 
and  Master ;  for  he  counted  not  his  life  dear  to  him, 
so  he  might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him. 

III.  His  gracious  confidence  of  a  blessed  change. 

It  was  observed  by  many  friends,  both  at  home 
and  abroad,  that,  when  he  saw  he  was  drawing 
towards  his  journey's  end,  his  faith  was  exceedingly 
increased,  his  hope  and  rejoicing  in  God  enlarged, 
his  love  and  zeal  wonderfully  inflamed ;  so  that,  as 
it  were,  casting  out  the  gauntlet  of  defiance  against 
all  assaults  of  his  enemies,  with  the  apostle  he  could 
say,  "Who  shall  separate  me  from  the  love  of 
Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution, 
or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword? — I  am 
persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  me  from  the 
love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

Being  thus  settled  in  his  mind,  it  pleased  God  to 
visit  him  with  sickness ;  an  account  of  which  is  given 
in  the  following  letter  from  Mrs.  Bruen : 

"I  call  to  mind  some  words  which  he  spake  to  me 
alone,  at  the  time  when  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  visit 
him,  which  was  on  the  day  after  the  Sabbath.  That 
morning  he  rose  exceeding  early,  and,  having  been 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


93 


in  private  prayer  with  God,  as  his  usual  manner 
was,  he  afterwards  performed  the  duty  of  prayer 
with  the  family.  This  being  done,  he  went  into  his 
study,  and  continued  there  till  dinner,  as  he  was 
wont  to  do;  and  after  dinner  he  retired  into  his 
study  again.  He  had  not  been  there  more  than  an 
hour  or  two  when  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  visit  him 
with  a  sort  of  shaking  ague ;  on  which  he  withdrew 
thence,  and  laid  himself  down  on  his  bed  in  the 
little  parlour.  Then  said  I  to  him,  'I  fear,  Sir, 
your  early  rising  hath  done  you  hurt.'  To  which 
he  replied,  'If  you  had  seen,  wife,  such  glorious 
things  as  I  saw  this  morning,  being  in  private 
prayer  to  God,  you  would  not  have  said  so;  for 
they  were  so  wonderful  and  unspeakable,  that,  with 
St.  Paul,  whether  I  was  in  the  body,  or  out  of  the 
body,  I  cannot  tell.  Thus  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord, 
lest  I  should  be  too  much  exalted  by  this  glorious 
sight,  to  give  me  a  buffet  in  the  flesh.'  Which 
things  he  spake  to  me  with  exceeding  great  joy." 

A  like  report  of  ravishing  sights  (which  he  had 
not  long  before)  himself  made  to  some  of  his  friends, 
after  he  had  one  day  been  at  private  prayer  in  his 
grove ;  the  particulars  of  which  he  would  not  dis- 
close ;  but  only  told  them  in  general,  with  great  ten- 
derness of  heart,  and  tears  both  of  joy  and  sorrow 
in  his  eyes. 

He  now  had  a  strong  persuasion  that  he  should 
not  live  long,  and  that  he  should  in  a  little  time  ex- 
change this  world  for  a  better. 


94 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


His  confidence  was  his  comfort  in  all  his  sickness ; 
during  whicli  lie  uttered  many  gracious  and  heaven- 
ly speeches,  from  several  parts  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  as  the  following,  and  such  others  • 
how  great  is  thy  goodness,  [Lord,]  which 
thou  hast  laid  up  for  them  that  fear  thee,  which  thou 
hast  wrought  for  them  that  trust  in  thee  before  the 
sons  of  men  !  (a) 

"  How  precious  are  thy  thoughts  unto  me,  0  God  ! 
how  great  is  the  sum  of  them  !  If  I  should  count 
them,  they  are  more  in  number  than  the  sand  ; 
when  I  awake,  I  am  still  with  thee,  (b) 

"I  trusted  in  thee,  O  Lord  ;  I  said,  Thou  art  my 
God.  My  times  are  in  thy  hand.  I  am  continually 
with  thee ;  thou  hast  holden  me  by  my  right  hand,  (c) 

"  Thou  shalt  guide  with  thy  counsel,  and  after- 
wards receive  me  to  glory.  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire 
besides  thee.  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  ;  but 
God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for 
ever,  (d) 

"  I  know  whom  I  have  believed  ;  and  I  am  per- 
suaded that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have 
committed  unto  him  against  that  day.  (e) 

"  0  love  the  Lord,  all  ye  his  saints  :  for  the  Lord 

(a)  Psalm  xxxi.l9.    (b)  Psalm  cxxxix.  17,  18. 
(c)  Psalm  xxxi,  14,  15.  and  Psalm  Ixxiii.  23. 
(d)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  24,  25,  26. 
(e)2Tim.  i.  12 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


95 


preservetli  the  faitliful,  and  plentifully  rewardeth. 
the  proud  doer,  (f) 

"  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so 
panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God.  My  soul  thirst- 
eth  for  Grod,  for  the  living  God  ;  when  shall  I  come 
and  appear  before  God  ?  (g)  • 

"  Let  him  kiss  me  with  the  kisses  of  his  mouth  : 
for  thy  love  is  better  than  wine.  Because  of  the 
savour  of  thy  good  ointments,  thy  name  is  as  oint- 
ment poured  forth  ;  therefore  do  the  virgins  love 
thee.    Draw  me,  [  and  I  ]  will  run  after  thee,  (h) 

"  God  is  not  unrighteous,  to  forget  [our]  work, 
and  labour  of  love,  which  [we]  have  showed  toward 
his  name,  (i) 

"  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  [us,]  who  also  will 
doit,  (k) 

"  [Eememberme,  0]  my  God,  for  good,  according 
to  all  that  I  have  done  for  [thy]  people  ;  and  wipe 
not  out  my  [kindness]  that  I  have  done  for  the 
house  of  my  God,  and  for  the  offices  thereof  Ee- 
member  me,  O  my  God,  and  spare  me  according 
to  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy."  (1) 

Some  of  these  holy  and  heavenly  sentences  he  ut- 
tered at  his  first  awaking  in  the  morning,  some  in 
prayer  with  his  family,  some  in  ejaculations,  some 

(f)  Psalm  xxxi.  23.       (g)  Psalm  xlii.  1,  2. 
(h)  Cant.  i.  2,  3,  4.        (i)  Heb.  vi.  10. 
(k)  1  Thess.  v.  24. 
(1)  Neh.  V.  19.  and  Neh.  xiii.  14,  22. 


96 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


as  the  issue  of  his  secret  and  silent  meditations,  and 
some  in  conference  with  such  of  his  Christian  friends 
as  came  to  visit  him,  to  minister  comfort  or  other 
counseL 

Ilis  heart  was  as  a  fountain  full  of  the  waters  of 
life,  which  being  now  broken  up  by  affliction,  the 
rivulets  of  grace  and  truth  issued  out  amain. 

lY.  His  happy  constancy  in  the  faith  of  Christ  to  the 
end. 

Although  his  bodily  infirmities  increased,  he 
would  by  no  means  be  kept  from  the  house  of  God 
on  the  Lord's  day,  so  long  as  he  could  walk  or  ride, 
which  was  till  within  eight  or  nine  weeks  of  his 
death. 

He  usually  went  to  the  church  on  foot,  which 
stood  about  a  mile  from  his  house ;  and  was  accom- 
panied thither  by  all  his  family,  except  two  or  three 
of  the  servants,  who  were  left  to  take  care  of  the 
house.  He  called  on  such  of  his  tenants  as  lived  in 
the  way,  who  also  went  with  him  to  church.  He 
marched  on  with  a  joyful  and  glad  heart,  as  a  leader 
of  the  Lord's  host ;  the  company  singing  psalms  as 
they  went,  particularly  the  84th  : 

"  How  pleasant  is  thy  dwelling  place, 
0  Lord  of  Hosts,  to  me  ! 
The  tabernacles  of  thy  grace, 

How  pleasant.  Lord,  they  be  !"  &c., 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


97 


Wliicli  they  sounded  forth  so  harmoniously,  that 
many  who  heard  them  afar  off  were  much  refreshed 
and  delighted  therewith ;  and  some,  as  they  drew  near- 
er, were  brought  to  a  greater  liking  of  the  society  of 
God's  children. 

His  arrival  at  church  was  constantly  before  the 
beginning  of  prayers,  that  so  he  and  his  company 
might  the  more  comfortably  join  in  the  worship  of 
Almighty  Grod  ;  which  he  did  with  such  a  reverent 
attention,  gracious  affection,  and  holy  carriage,  as 
greatly  induced  others  to  be  more  conscientious 
therein. 

He  seldom  went  to  dinner  after  the  prayers  and 
sermon,  but  continued  in  church  till  after  the  even- 
ing service,  accompanied  by  others  who  were  will- 
ing to  stay  with  him.  During  this  interval  of- 
public  devotion,  he  repeated  the  sermon,  (which  he 
had  carefully  taken  down,  as  before  has  been 
observed  to  have  been  his  custom)  and  joined  his 
companions  in  singing  psalms,  and  conferring  on 
the  best  things. 

After  the  evening  service,  he  and  his  goodly 
company  journeyed  homewards,  with  much  comfort 
and  joy  in  their  hearts,  endeavouring  as  they  passed 
along  to  increase  each  other's  knowledge,  faith,  and 
obedience,  by  repeating  and  conferring  upon  the 
evening  sermon,  &c. 

If  any  among  them  were  afflicted,  they  would  be 
ready  to  counsel,  comfort,  and  pray  for  such :  and 
5 


98 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


to  tliose  of  them  who  were  troubled  in  their  con- 
sciences, Mr.  Bruen  would  without  delay  act  the 
part  of  the  good  Samaritan,  by  pouring  into  their 
afflicted  spirits  the  wine  and  oil  of  heavenly  consola- 
tion. 

And  in  the  evening  exercise  at  his  own  house,  he 
was  so  full  of  life  and  zeal,  that,  as  well  as  his  family, 
many  of  his  tenants  and  neighbours  greatly  desired 
and  delighted  to  hear  him  repeat  the  sermons,  press 
the  special  points,  urge  the  conscience,  and  pour  out 
his  cries  to  God. 

So  great  was  the  comfort  and  joy  which  he  expe- 
rienced in  holy  duties  on  that  day  which  has  not 
improperly  been  called  the  Christian's  market-day, 
that  he  frequently  expressed  an  earnest  wish  that 
every  day  were  a  Sabbath  or  a  fast-day! — "When 
the  Sabbath  was  passed,  he  blessed  God  for  having 
given  him  one  more  of  these  happy  days  than  he 
looked  for. 

The  week-days  were  rather  tedious,  his  strength 
decaying,  and  his  bodily  infirmities  increasing: 
however,  he  would  not  be  dejected,  but  endeavoured 
to  raise  up  his  heart  by  faith  and  hope,  speaking  to 
his  family  and  friends  much  in  the  following  manner : 

"The  time  is  not  long:  I  must  shortly  lay  down 
this  my  tabernacle,  and  then  I  shall  get  the  start  of 
you  all,  and  shall  celebrate  an  everlasting  Sabbath 
before  the  Lord,  with  his  holy  angels  and  blessed 
saints,  iji  the  highest  heavens.'* 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


99 


This  he  spake  rejoicingly,  but  yet  with  tears. 

He  every  day  grew  more  and  more  weary  of  the 
world,  and  was  best  contented  when  he  could  dis- 
patch worldly  businesses  with  fewest  words. 

Like  good  Hezekiah,  he  set  his  house  in  order, 
and  made  his  will,  so  leaving  all  things  in  terms  of 
peace  and  love:  and  by  this  means  his  mind  w^as 
disburdened  of  many  earthly  cares,  and  felt  greater 
liberty  to  think  and  speak  of  spiritual  and  heavenly 
affairs ;  which  he  did  not  omit,  but  as  he  could  stir 
about  in  the  house,  either  to  the  hall,  parlour,  or 
kitchen,  he  would  drop  wholesome  words  of  comfort 
among  such  as  he  met  with,  and  ceased  not'  to  speak 
of  holy  or  heavenly  things  to  the  rest  of  his  family. 

When  persons  came  to  see  him,  he  would  fre- 
quently say, 

"Alas!  good  souls,  what  are  ye  come  to  see?  a 
poor  wretch,  a  worm,  and  no  man,  a  poor  dying 
man.  I  may  now  say  with  Job,  If  I  wait,  the  grave 
is  my  house ;  I  have  made  my  bed  in  the  darkness. 
I  have  said  to  corruption.  Thou  art  my  father;  to 
the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother,  and  my  sister. 
And  yet  I  know  that  my  Eedeemer  liveth,  and  that 
he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And 
though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet 
in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God.  Therefore  we  faint 
not:  but  though  the  outward  man  perish,  yet  the 
inward  man  is  renewed  daily.  And  so  our  conver- 
sation is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we  look  for 


100 


LIFE  OF  JOHX  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  vrho  shall 
change  our  vile  bodj,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like 
unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to  the  working 
whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself." 

To  some  who  endeavoured  to  conofort  him  with 
the  hope  of  recover}-,  he  would  say, 

"My  time  is  in  the  Lord's  hand,  and  it  is  not 
likely  it  can  be  long:  my  days  are  past,  my  pur- 
poses are  broken  off,  even  the  thoughts  of  my  heart ; 
my  task  is  ended — the  Lord  hath  no  more  work  for 
me  to  do ;  my  warfare  is  accomplished,  my  race  is 
run  out;  I  now  only  hope  and  wait  for  the  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  Christ  has  purchased  for  me, 
and  God  has  promised  to  me." 

He  exhorted  such  professors  of  religion  as  came 
to  see  hun,  as  well  babes  in  Christ  as  young  men 
and  fathers,  to  hold  on  and  hold  out,  never  to  be 
weary  in  well-doing,  but  to  grow  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  increase 
in  faith,  and  abound  in  love ;  telling  them  not  to  be 
discouraged  by  taunts  and  mocks,  railings  and  re^-il- 
ings,  with  other  persecutions  for  the  sake  of  Christ ; 
but  to  be  faithful  unto  death,  that  they  might  re- 
ceive the  crown  of  life.  And  in  order  that  his  in- 
structions might  make  a  deeper  impression  on  their 
hearts,  he  recommended  to  them  his  own  experience 
and  example,  from  the  time  he  first  embraced  and 
professed  the  Gospel.  His  words  were  much  to  the 
following  effect  : 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BEUEN,  ESQ. 


101 


When  first  I  began  to  profess  religion,  there 
was  almost  none  in  the  whole  shire  that  were  ac- 
quainted with  the  power  and  practice  of  it. 

"  I  [was,  as  the  psalmist  speaketh,]  like  a  pelican 
of  the  wilderness  ;  I  [was]  like  an  owl  of  the  desert. 
Mine  enemies  [did]  reproach  me  all  the  day,  and 
[were]  mad  against  me.  (m) 

"  I  was  a  wonder  of  the  world,  yea  a  monster  o^ 
men,  and  many  did  bend  their  tongues  like  bows 
for  lies,  and  shoot  out  their  arrows,  even  bitter 
words. 

"  And  yet  for  all  this  that  came  upon  me,  I  did 
not  forget  the  name  of  my  God,  neither  did  I  deal 
falsely  in  his  covenant.  My  heart  was  not  turned 
back,  neither  did  my  steps  decline  from  his  way. 
But  being  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
his  might,  I  found  his  grace  was  sufficient  for  me, 
both  to  confirm  me  in  the  truth,  and  to  preserve  me 
blameless  and  harmless,  without  rebuke,  in  the 
midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  generation.  And 
so,  through  the  good  hand  of  my  God  which  was 
upon  me,  I  did  overcome  ;  for  the  work  of  God  did 
prosper  in  my  hand,  and  mine  adversaries  did  not 
prevail  against  me. 

"But  now  that  may  be  said  to  this  country  which 
the  prophet  spake  unto  the  Gentiles:  Sing,  O 
barren  !  thou  that  didst  not  bear  ;  break  forth  into 
singing,  and  cry  aloud,  thou  that  didst  not  travail 

(m)  Psalm  cii.  6,  8. 


102  LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


with  child  ;  for  more  are  the  children  of  the  deso- 
late^than  of  the  married  wife,  saith  the  Lord,  (n) 

"  How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0  Jacob !  and  thy 
tabernacles,  0  Israel !  As  the  valleys  are  they 
spread  foi'th,  as  gardens  by  the  river-side,  as  the 
trees  of  lign-aloes,  which  the  Lord  hath  planted,  and 
as  cedar-trees  beside  the  waters,  (o) 

"  Now  the  borders  of  the  church  are  much  enlarged, 
the  number  of  believers  wonderfully  increased,  and, 
blessed  be  God,  every  quarter  and  corner  of  the 
country  is  now  filled  with  the  sweet  savour  of  the 
Gospel. 

"  O  how  it  doth  refresh  my  spirit,  and  rejoice  my 
soul,  to  see  or  to  think  upon  their  sweet  faces,  stand- 
ing before  the  Lord  in  the  day  of  assembly,  as  an 
army  in  holy  beauty  ! 

"  Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  fear  none  of 
those  things  which  you  shall  suffer.  Watch  ye, 
stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  ye  like  men,  be  strong, 
be  ye  stedfast  also,  and  unmovable,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know 
that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 

With  such  like  comfortable  expressions  did  he  en- 
courage and  stir  up  the  minds  of  professors  who 
visited  him. 

From  this  it  is  evident  that  Mr.  Bruen  Avas  con. 
stant  in  the  profession  and  practice  of  true  religion. 
He  was  never  unsettled  in  his  course,  nor  diverted 

(n)  Isaiah  liv.  1.    (o)  Num.  xxiv.  5,  6. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


103 


from  it ;  no,  not  by  the  strongest  oppositions.  His 
constancy,  as  was  the  Temple  by  those  two  special 
pillars,  Boaz  and  Jachin,*  was  supported  by  his 
confidence  and  patience. 

This  will  further  appear  by  noticing  the  last  pas- 
sages of  his  life. 

Being  grown  very  feeble  and  weak,  much  like  a 
dying  lamp,  the  oil  wasting,  and  the  light  waning 
dim,  he  yet  breathed  out  savory  words  of  grace  and 
peace,  joy  and  comfort,  which  might  be  compared 
to  the  breaking  open  of  a  box  of  sweet  odours,  that 
refreshed  all  who  came  near  it. 

About  the  15th  of  January,  his  strength  was 
greatly  abated,  and  his  weakness  much  increased,  by 
reason  of  a  sore  stoppage  in  his  breast  and  thro^it, 
which  prevented  him  from  taking  even  a  spoonful 
of  syrup,  or  any  kind  of  refreshment  whatever. 

About  this  time  a  worthy  Knight,  his  cousin, 
whom  he  greatly  loved,  for  his  fidelity,  and  his  zeal 
towards  God's  house  and  people,  came  to  see  him. 
"When  he  beheld  Mr.  Bruen  in  so  much  weakness, 
he  could  not  refrain  from  tears,  but  wept  over  him 
abundantly  ;  on  which  he  endeavoured  to  comfort 
his  kinsman,  thus:  ^' Good  Sir,  weep  not  for  me  ; 
for  there  is  no  cause  of  weeping,  but  of  much  rejoic- 
ing in  my  behalf ;  turn  your  tears  into  prayers,  and 
let  me  enjoy  that  fruit  of  your  love.    Let  them  weep 

*  Boaz,  i.  e.  la  it  is  strength. — Jachin,  i.  e.  He  shall 
establish. 


104 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


that  have  no  hope  but  in  this  life  only  ;  let  them 
weep  that  have  no  portion  in  the  Lord,  no  part  in 
Jesus  Christ  ;  but  as  for  you  and  me,  let  us,  in  every 
state  and  condition,  while  we  live,  rejoice  in  the 
Lord  together.  You  are  on  your  way ;  I  am  at  my 
journey's  end;  walk  on  as  you  have  both  begun, 
and  for  a  long  time  continued,  and  the  Lord  will  be 
with  you,  he  will  never  fail  you  nor  forsake  you." 

On  the  following  day  his  son  and  heir  came  to  see 
him  ;  to  whom  he  gave  wholesome  instruction  and 
gracious  exhortations,  praying  for  and  blessing  him 
and  the  rest  of  his  children,  and  encouraging  him  to 
be  constant  in  religion,  and  to  uphold  the  worship 
of  G-od  both  in  the  public  assembly  and  in  his 
family. 

On  the  same  day  Mr.  Langley  and  myself  came 
to  see  him  ;  and  here,  what  shall  I  say  ? — my  sor- 
row bleeds  afresh  ;  I  can  now  rather  weep  than 
write  :  mine  eyes  drop  tears  as  my  pen  doth  words, 
and  my  writing  rejoiceth,  as  it  were,  to  mingle  itself 
with  my  weeping.  But  I  will  endeavour  to  refrain 
myself,  and  relate  a  few  things  which  I  saw  and 
heard  from  him  at  that  time. — As  soon  as  he  saw 
me,  he  seemed  much  comforted  in  his  very  soul,  and 
in  broken  sentences  spoke  to  this  effect:  ''Oh 
brother  Hinde,  you  are  a  welcome  man  unto  me  !  I 
am  here,  you  see,  the  Lord's  prisoner,  cast  on  a  bed 
of  sickness,  and  in  great  afi&iction ;  yet  waiting  on 
the  mercies  of  my  God  for  a  comfortable  release  in 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BEUEN,  ESQ. 


105 


due  season."  And  when  lie  was  asked  as  to  the 
state  of  his  faith  and  hope  in  Christ,  whether  his 
consolations  abounded  in  the  midst  of  his  afflictions, 
he  replied,  Yes,  I  thank  God,  they  far  exceed 
them.  Yea,  and  what  is  more  remarkable,  the  Lord 
of  his  mercy  hath  given  me  so  strong  an  evidence  of 
his  love  and  favour  in  Christ,  that  I  am  not  troubled 
in  my  conscience  with  doubts  and  fears,  nor  any 
other  satanical  molestations  and  temptations  ;  but 
rest  and  wait  in  patience  for  the  accomplishment  of 
his  mercies." 

Hereupon,  though  we  were  sorrowful  in  his  sor- 
row, yet  were  we  joyful  in  his  joy.  Wishing  not  to 
trouble  him  with  many  words,  we  proposed  to  join 
in  prayer  with  him.  On  which  he  seemed  to  rejoice 
in  his  spirit,  and  intimated  that  he  much  desired  it-; 
and  raising  himself  in  his  bed,  and  lifting  his  hands 
to  God  in  the  heavens,  he,  as  it  were,  reached  after 
the  petitions  that  were  put  up  to  God  for  him  ;  and, 
joining  in  heart  and  spirit  with  him  that  prayed,  he 
could  not  contain  himself ;  but  oftentimes,  with  a 
cheerful  consent,  said  Amen,  Amen,  to  the  supplica- 
tions which  were  made  for  his  good  and  comfort  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

After  this  Mr.  L.  spoke  to  him  a  few  words  of 
comfort,  saying  that  he  knew  he  would  shortly  be 
released  from  all  sin  and  sorrow,  from  Satan,  and 
the  present  evil  world  :  to  which  he  replied,  "  I 
know  I  shall,  and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  best  of 
5* 


106  LIFE  OF  JOHN  BKUEN,  ESQ. 

all  :  and  now  the  messenger  of  death  is  upon  me  ;" 
referring  to  the  hiccup,  which  had  seized  him.  Mr. 
L.  rejoined,  "I  hope.  Sir,  death  is  no  fear  or  terror 
to  you."  " No  indeed,"  said  he  ;  "I  thank  God,  it 
is  my  way  to  life  ;  and  I  am  now  called  of  God 
unto  it." 

Thus  he  continued  in  great  pain  of  body,  but  in- 
creasing in  consolations,  and  enduring  his  sickness 
with  admirable  patience. 

The  same  evening  he  desired  me  to  call  his  fami- 
ly to  prayer,  and  to  perform  the  evening  sacrifice  in 
the  great  parlour,  commanding  that  the  little  par- 
lour door  be  set  open,  that  he  might  hear,  and  join 
us  in  the  worship  of  Almighty  God. 

I  staid  with  him  till  the  afternoon  of  the  next 
day ;  when  necessity  calling  me  home,  I  and  my 
wife  (his  former  wife's  own  sister)  came  to  take 
leave  of  him ;  on  which  his  soul  seemed  to  mel* 
within  him ;  indeed  our  hearts,  as  well  as  his,  were 
full  of  grief,  and  our  eyes  full  of  tears ;  so  ming- 
ling together  our  tears  and  prayers,  we  commended 
each  other  to  the  grace  of  God.  Thoii  falling  on 
his  face,  and  kissing  his  cheek,  we  took  our  long 
leave  of  him. 

The  following  day  he  was  supposed  to  be  dying 
by  those  that  were  near  him,  who  asked  his  blessing, 
which  he  willingly  expressed,  by  lifting  his  hands 
and  heart  to  heaven  for  them,  at  the  same  time 
uttering  some  words  which  were  not  intelligible. 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


107 


In  tlie  afternoon  he  overheard  somebody  speaking 
of  blacks,  on  which  he  said,  "  I  will  have  no  blacks; 
I  love  not  proud  or  pompous  funerals ;  neither  is 
there  any  cause  for  mourning,  but  rather  of  re- 
joicing in  my  particular." 

After  this  he  intreated  a  certain  pious  person  to 
pray  with  hun,  which  he  did,  very  willingly,  again 
and  again,  to  his  great  satisfaction. 

And  now  growing  so  weak,  that  he  was  scarcely 
able  to  speak,  some  who  were  about  him  requested 
that  he  would  lift  up  his  hand,  if  he  Avished  them 
to  pray  for  him  ?  with  which  he  readily  complied, 
and  was  heard  to  say  Amen. 

Afterwards  lifting  up  his  hands,  he  uttered  these 
words,  with  others  to  the  like  effect : 

"  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  my  help,  and  my  trust: 
his  son  Jesus  is  my  Saviour  and  Redeemer :  Amen. 
Even  so  saith  the  Spirit  unto  my  Spirit.  Therefore 
come  Lord  Jesus,  and  kiss  me  with  the  kisses  of  thy 
mouth,  and  embrace  me  with  the  arms  of  thy  love. 
Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  Spirit.  O  come, 
now,  and  take  me  to  thine  own  self.  0  come,  Lord 
Jesus:  come  quickly:  O  come!  Ocome!  Ocome!" 

Having  so  said,  his  spirits  fainting  and  his  speech 
failing,  he  lay  quiet  for  a  short  time,  and  then  meek- 
ly yielded  up  his  precious  soul  into  the  hands  of 
God  his  Father  who  gave  it,  and  the  arms  of  his 
Saviour  who  redeemed  it  with  his  precious  blood, 
in  the  year  1625,  aged  sixty -five. 


108 


LIFE  OF  JOHN  BRUEN,  ESQ. 


Thus  finishing  his  course,  Mr.  Bruen's  happy- 
spirit  sweetly  passed  through  the  gate  of  death  into 
the  mansions  of  everlasting  life  and  peace. 

All 
GLOKY, 
THANKSGIVING, 

AND 

Praise^ 

Be  unto  our  gracious  GOD,  in  and  through  his 
Son  JESUS  CHEIST,  for  ever  and  ever. 

Amen. 


INDEX. 


A  Short  account  of  Mrs.  Catherine  Bretterg,  .  .  .12 

Account  of  Kobert  Pasfield,  or  Old  Robert,  one  of  Mr.  Bruen's 

servants — an  extraordinary  character,  .  .  .34 
A  description  of  Old  Robertas  singular  girdle,  which  he  made 

use  of  for  the  same  purpose  as  some  do  their  pen,     ,  35 
A  Sermon  preached  in  the  parlour  at  the  Peile,  by  the  Minis- 
ter of  Tarvin,     .         .         .  .         .  .48 

An  incredible  number  of  volumes  written  or  copied  by  Mr. 

Bruen,    .  .  .  .         .  .  .54 

An  honorable  testimony  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Bruen's  second 

wife,      .  .  .  .         .  .  .65 

A  miracle  respecting  John  Robinson,  .  .  .73 

A  providential  escape  of  John  Bruen  the  younger,    .  .  lb. 

Another  providential  escape,    .  .  .         .         .  ib. 

An  awful  instance  of  God's  indignation  against  contemners 

of  good  men,     .         .  .         .  .  .  ib. 

A  very  extraordinary  judgment  inflicted  on  a  boy  at  North- 

wich,      ...  .  .  .  .  ib. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  Mr.  Bruen's  peaceable  disposition, .  83 
A  speech  of  Mr.  Bruen's,  expressive  of  a  hope  full  of 

immortality,      .         .  .  .         .  .98 

Another  speech  of  Mr.  Bruen's,         .         .  .  .99 


110 


INDEX. 


A  reply  to  some  who  endeavoured  to  comfort  him  with  the 

hope  of  recovery  from  sickness,  .  .  .  100 

An  exhortation  to  professors  wlio  visited  him,  .  .  ib. 

Almost  none  of  the  inhahitants  of  Cheshire  acquainted  with 

the  power  and^ractice  of  religion,     .  .  .  101 

A  worthy  Knight,  weeping  over  Mr.  Bruen,  is  comforted 

by  him,  .  103 

A  short  dialogue  between  Mr.  Bruen  and  Kev.  Mr.  Langley,  105 
Death  of  Mr.  Bruen' s  first  wife,         .  .  .  .55 

Death  of  his  second  wife,       .  .  .  .  .65 

Eleven  observations  collected  by  Mr.  Bruen  against  gaming,  60 
Exclamation  of  the  renowned  Mr.  Perkins,  concerning  Mr. 

Bruen' s  house,   .  .  .         .  .  .63 


Mr.  Bruen' s  birth,  parentage,  &c.     .         .         .  .11 

great  proficiency  at  the  dancing  school,  .          .  .16 

entrance  in  the  University  at  Oxford,      .          .  .17 

departure  thence,  .          .          .          .          .  .22 

first  marriage,       .          .          .          .          .  .  ib. 

fondness  for  hunting,  hawking,  horse-racing,  &c.  .  23 

conduct  herein  reprovable,          .          .          .  .  ib. 

children  effectually  converted,     .          .          .  .33 

choice  as  to  his  servants,  .          .          .          .  .  ib. 

familiarity  with  them,      .          .          .          .  .34 

condescension  unlike  the  stately  stiffness  of  many,  .  36 
kind  behaviour  to  Old  Robert,  when  unfit  for  labour,    .  37 

house  a  common  nursery  for  the  churches  of  God,  .  39 

ordering  of  his  family  as  to  rehgious  duties,        .  .  40 

early  rising,          .          .          .          .          .  .  ib. 

form  of  prayer,     .          .          .          .          .  .41 


INDEX. 


Ill 


Mr.  Bruen's  delight  in  worshipping  God  hy  singing  psalms 

with  his  family,  .  .  .  .  .42 

regular  course  in  reading,  .         .  .  .  ib. 

family  prayer,       .  .  .  .  .  .43 

propounding  and  applying  of  the  Scriptures,     .  .  44 

painful  collections,  from  the   Scriptures,  and  other 

writings  of  good  men,   .  .         .         .  .45 

removal  of  idolatrous  images  and  pictures  out  of  Tar- 

vin  church,       .  .  .  .  .  .  ib. 

bringing  into  the  great  congiegation,  at  Tarvin,  godly 

and  able  Ministers,        .  .         .  .  .46 

example  contrasted  with  those  of  too  many  gentlemen,  47 
providing  for  the  public  congregation  a  worthy  preacher, 

and  his  policy  to  convince  them  of  his  value,  .  48 
singular  and  successful  method  of  abolishing  Tarvin 

wake,     .         .         .  .  .  .  .49 

wise  manner  of  dealing  with  Mr.  Hardware,  of  the 

Peile,     ....  .  .  .  -52 

attendance  at  monthly  religious  exercises  in  different 

parts  of  Cheshire  and  Lancashire,       .  .  .53 

taking  down  notes  and  observations,  &c.  .         .  .64 

kindness  to  God's  Ministers,        <.         .  .  .  ib. 

second  marriage,   .  .  .         .  .  .57 

residence  with  his  mother-in-law,  at  the  Khodes,  near 

Manchester,       .         .         .  .  .  .  ib. 

testimony  of  God's    blessing  his  pious  endeavours 

while  at  the  Ehodes,  .  .  .  .  .  ib. 
return  to  Stapleford  with  his  second  wife,  .  .  58 

house  still  more  famous  as  a  school  of  religion,  .  .  ib. 

abhorrence  of  cards,  dice,  &c.     .  .  .  .59 

residence  at  Chester,        .         .  .         .  .67 


112 


INDEX. 


Mr.  Bruen's  endeavours  blessed  to  the  conviction  and  con- 
version of  sinners  while  at  Chester, 
maintenance  of  the  poor  by  the  produce  of  the  Staple- 
ford  mills, 

return  from  Chester  to   Stapleford,  and   his  third 

marriage, 
stedfastness,  &c.  . 
meditation, 

observation  of  the  Lord's  ways,  &c. 
invocation  of  God's  name,  &c.  . 
times  of  private  prayer, 
power  in  private  prayer, 
fasting,  .... 

mourning  for  the  afflictions  of  Joseph  and  the  desola- 
tions of  Jerusalem, 
rejoicing  in  the  Lord, 
imitation  of  his  heavenly  Father, 
excellencies  briefly  summed  up, 
great  concern  for  sinners, 
conduct  towards  mockers,  &c. 
distribution  of  good  books, 
hospitality, 

great  pity  towards  the  poor  shewn  in  several  instances, . 
special  regard  for  the  godly,  .... 
harmony  with  the  most  sound  divines,  &c. 
esteem  for  the  peace  of  Zion,  .... 
conduct  on  hearing  gloomy  tidings  from  Bohemia,  &c.  . 
diligence  and  great  usefulness  in  visiting  the  afflicted,  . 
abhorrence  of  foolish  fashions  and  custom,  formal  com- 
pliments, .  .  . 
singular  conduct  at  a  High  Sheriflf's  feast, 


68 

.  ib. 

ib. 
ib. 
71 
72 
78 
79 
ib. 
80 

ib. 
ib. 
81 
84 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 
85 
ib. 
86 
87 
ib. 
ib. 
ib. 

88 
88 


INDEX. 


113 


Mr.  Bruen's  faithfulness  in  reproving  sin,  exemplified  in  an 
extract  of  a  very  pointed  letter  to  a  cousin  of  his,  con- 
trasting his  kinsman's  experience  with  that  of  Thomas 
Wilbraham,  Esq.  of  Woodhey,  .  .  .88 

tenderness  towards  his  tenants,    .  .  .  .89 

preparation  for  death,       .  .  .  .  .90 

resolution  to  bear  all  aflBlictions  attendant  on  his  depar- 
ture,     .  .  .  .  .  .  .91 

gracious  confidence  of  a  blessed  change,  .         .  92 

heavenly  speeches,  .  .  .  .  .94 

heart  as  a  fountain  full  of  the  waters  of  life,      .  .  96 

constancy  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  .  .  .  .  ib. 

examplary  behaviour  at  churc^,  .  .  .97 

manner  of  continuing  in  church  during  the  interval  be- 
tween morning  and  evening  service,    .  .  .  ib. 
tenants  and  neighbours  delight  to  hear  him  discourse 
and  pray,        .           .         .          .          .  .98 

great  love  for  the  Sabbath-day,  &c.       .  .  .  ib. 

consolations  exceed  his  afflictions,        .  .  .  105 

strong  evidence  of  God's  love  to  him,    .         .  .  ib. 

wish  that  none  should  mourn,  but  rather  rejoice,  on  ac- 
count of  his  death,     .  .         .  .  .    1 07 

longing  to  be  with  Christ,  .  .         .  .  ib. 

happy  death,      .  .  .  .         .  .  ib. 

Mr.  BRUEN  morally  educated,        .         .  .  .14 

preserved  from  gross  sins,  and  in  a  great  degree  from 

popish  superstition,    .  .  .  .  .  ib. 

sent  to  his  uncle  Button's,  of  Button,  to  be  trained  up 

under  James  Eoe,        .  .  .  .  .16 

compared  with  the  admirable  Galeacius  Caracciolus,  Marquis 

of  Vico,  in  Italy,  ,  .         .  .  .21 


114 


INDEX. 


Mr.  Bruen  and  Ralph  Done,  Esq.,  keep  a  pack  of  hounds,  .  23 
compared  with  St.  Austin,  as  to  several  particulars,  .  27 
and  his  first  wife  shine  as  lamps  in  their  family,  .  32 

shews  his  concern  for  his  servants,  by  visiting  and  con- 
versing with  them  of  the  best  things,  w'hen  at  their 
labour,    .  .  .  .  .  .  .38 

reproached  and  opposed  by  masters  in  Israel,       .  .  44 

and  several  others  pray  with  the  afflicted  boy  at  North- 
wich,      .  .  .         .  .  -  .76 

compared  with  St.  James  the  Just,  as  to  the  hardness  of 
his  knees,  &c.     .  .  .  .  .  .80 

naturally  fierce,  angry,  and  hasty,  .  .  .83 

a  guide  to  poor  erring  so^s,       .  .  .  .84 

his  family  and  tenants  go  to  church  singing,     .  .  96 

and  his  goodly  company  confer  on  divine  things,  as  they 

return  from  church,       .         ,  .  .  .97 

makes  his  will,     .  .  .  .  .  .99 

recommends  to  professors  his  own    experience  and 
practice,  ......  100 

like  a  pelican  of  the  wilderness,  or  an  owl  of  the  desert,  101 
supported  by  his  confidence  and  patience,  .  .  103 

Lady  Egerton  ;  Mr.  Thomas  Datton,  of  Dutton,  with  his 
wife,  &c.  four  gentlewomen  of  Hatton,  with  a  maid- 
servant ; — reside  at  Mr.  Bruen's,  and  several  of  them 
become  converts  to  the  truth,  .  .  .  .64 

Mr.  John  Brerewood,  son  of  Alderman  Brerewood,  of  Chester, 

made  useful  to  Mr.  Bruen,        •  .  .  .18 

Mr.  Hardware  and  his  fixmily's  residence  under  j\Ir.  Bruen's 

roof,      .  .  .  .  .  .  .52 

3Ir.  Hardware's  conversion,    .  .  .  .  .53 


INDEX. 


115 


sir.  John  Done,  of  Utkinton,  and  his  wife,  reside  at  Mr. 

Bruen's,  .         .         .  .  .  .58 

Mr.  Dutton  puts  a  stop  to  piping  and  dancing  on  the  Sabbath,  64 
Observations  on  hunting,  &c.  .  .  .  .  .  24 

Prayer  a  remedy  against  anger,  .  .  .  .32 

Eeligion's  entrance,  maugre  the  devil  and  his  partakers,  47 
Some  of  the  first  fruits  of  Mr.  Bruen's  change,  .  .28 

Sir  Richard  Grosvenor's  residence  in  Mr.  Bruen's  family,  52 
Sudden  death  not  always  a  sign  of  God's  displeasure,  .  55 

Thoughts  concerning  the  prayer  of  a  child,  with  quotations 

from  St.  Austin,  &c.  to  the  purpose,   .         .  .15 
The  Sabbath  wholly  spent  in  piping,  dancing,  &c.   .  .  17 

The  ordinary  means  of  conversion,      .  .  .  .19 

The  Lord  awakes  Mr.  Bruen  to  a  sense  of  his  error,  .         .  26 
The  miserable  condition  of  families  whose  governors  are  un- 
equally yoked,  .  .  .  .  .  .30 

The  nature  of  genuine  humility,        .  .  .  .  86 

The  manner  in  which  Mr.   Bruen's  servants  spent  their 

evenings,  .  .  .  .  ,  .39 

Thoughts  on  set  forms  of  prayer,        .  .         .  .41 

Testimony  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  Minister  of  Tarvin,  in  favor 

of  Mr.  Bruen,    .  .         .         .  .  .49 

Testimonies  of  several  Fathers  against  cards,  dice,  &c         .  59 

Two  goodly  Bibles  fixed  up  in  Mr.  Bruen's  parlour  and  hall,  62 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Ar.  St.  procured  for  the  great  congregation, 

and  his  testimony  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Bruen,     .          .  ib. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Watts,  or  O^t^^'Z^  a  worthy  man  of  God,  .  64 
The  heavy  consequences  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Bruen's  second 

wife,       .         .         .  .  .  .  .66 


116 


INDEX. 


The  Bishop's  praying  with  the  afflicted  boy  of  Northwich, 

and  his  Lordship's  servant  affrighted  into  a  swoon,  .  75 
The  Bishop's  licence  for  fasting  and  prayer  at  the  boy's 

father's,  .  .  .  .  .  .lb. 

The  boy's  strange  speeches,    .         .         .         .  .76 

The  places  of  Mr.  Bruen's  solitary  devotions,  .         .  78 

Twelve  rules  which  Mr.  Bruen  greatly  desired  to  follow,      .  82 
Testimony  of  an  Honorable  Judge  in  favour  of  Mr.  Bruen,  84 
The  beginning  of  his  last  illness,  in  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Bruen,  92 
Two  heavenly  visions,  .  .         .  .  .93 

The  work  of  God  prospers,     .....  lOl 

The  country  filled  with  the  savour  of  the  Gospel,    .  .  102 

The  last  passages  of  Mr.  Bruen's  life,  .         .         .  .  103 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Langley,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hinde  (the  author 

of  his  Life)  visit  Mr.  Bruen  just  before  his  death,  .  104 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Hinde  and  his  wife's  grievous  departure  from 

Mr.  Bruen,       .  .  .  .  .  .106 

Wakes  and  vigils  censured,  .  .  .  .  .51 


